Dr Kamal has become reckless after seeing AL’s strength, says Quader

Road Transport Minister and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has compared Kamal Hossain’s behaviour with a journalist during a Martyred Intellectuals Day programme with that of a reckless driver.

“Oikya Front leaders have become restless after seeing the nationwide support for the boat,” he said. “Now Dr Kamal has become like the reckless drivers on the roads.”

Quader made the remarks during a rest-stop in Feni’s Dagonbhuiyan on his way to his constituency in Noakhali’s Companyganj.

The Awami League also condemned Kamal Hossain’s behaviour during a press conference at its offices in Dhaka.

Kamal Hossain told reporters to ‘shut up’ and threatened to mark them after they questioned him about running under the same banner as Jamaat-e Islami as he went to pay respects to the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Dhaka’s Mirpur on Friday.

Kamal Hossain, who was once an Awami League leader, has now joined the BNP to form the Jatiya Oikya Front opposition alliance for the Dec 30 polls. He faced criticism from his old party for allying with the BNP, which has granted its nomination to several Jamaat leaders for the coming election.

“It is astonishing to think that he [Kamal] has stooped so low,” Quader said. “The way Dr Kamal insulted journalists by telling them to ‘shut up’ is reminiscent of the language used by the West Pakistan regime.”

“He hasn’t been able to hide his true colours. Instead he has proven that he is an advocate of corrupt politics. Dr Kamal shows that as people lose power their language becomes more violent and poisonous.”

At a press conference in Dhaka, Awami League Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak said:

“He has threatened reporters. We condemn and protest this.”

“Kamal Hossain has never before been a part of politics when the people have faced a crisis. The people of the country know of his mysterious and controversial role during the Liberation War and in 1975. At various times he has been involved with various conspiracies against the country. The formation of the Jatiya Oikya Front is simply a continuation of this history of participation in political conspiracy.”

Obaidul Quader blamed the BNP for the violence leading up to the election.

“The BNP is responsible for the deterioration of law and order.”

But he told reporters that he did not want the BNP to withdraw from the election.