Govt, not Awami League, responsible for molestation in Bangla Motor: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said the molestation of a college girl in Bangla Motor allegedly by youths headed for a rally is not a party issue, but the government has responsibilities to take.

A Facebook post by the alleged victim created a firestorm on the social media after she wrote about the incident which coincided with the Awami League’s rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan on Wednesday marking Bangabandhu’s historic Mar 7 speech.

A group of youths shouting the Joy Bangla slogan sexually assaulted her in Bangla Motor area as thousands of Awami League activists were heading for the rally, she said.

Quader, who is also the road transport and bridges minister, faced questions by journalists on the issue after a meeting at the party chief’s Dhanmondi office on Thursday afternoon.

“What happened on a street in Dhaka outside the rally is not a matter of our party. And of course the government has responsibilities in it,” he said.

“The home minister has said he is checking if something happened. No one can get away having done something like this during this government’s tenure,” he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said they had a video footage of the incident in Bangla Motor and were trying to identify the perpetrators.