Obaidul Quader sets off on ‘campaign trip’ to the north

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has set off on a trip to northern Bangladesh as part of a programme to inspire party activists and inform the people of the government’s development efforts.

Quader and several other central Awami League leaders boarded the Nilphamari-bound ‘Nilsagar Express’ at 8am on Saturday morning.

Quader told the media before departing Kamalapur Rail Station that the trip was aimed at spreading the word regarding the development brought about by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the grassroots level.

“The election is coming and we will compete. We must prepare accordingly. We must address any internal issues. This trip will help inspire our grassroots activists.”

Awami League Rajshsahi Division Acting Organisation Secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury is responsible for organising the trip.

Meetings will be held at rail stations in Tangail, Pabna’s Ishwardi, Natore, Bagura, Shantahar, Joypurhat, Joypurhat’s Akkelpur, Dinajpur’s Birampur, Fulbari, Parbatipur and Nilphamari’s Syedpur on the way from Dhaka to Nilphamari, he told the media.

Though trains on the line usually stop for 3-4 minutes, the Nilphamari Express will stop for 10 minutes at each station for these meetings, Awami League leaders said. Obaidul Quader will give speeches during these stops.

The speeches will mean delays for passengers on the Nilphamari Express.

Similar tours are planned by road and boat in the future, Quader said.

“We will go on a launch tour on Sept 13. We then plan to go to Chattogram, Mymensingh and Kishoreganj by road.”

“We hope this programme will play an important part in alerting the people at the grassroots level about BNP-Jamaat rumours,” he said.