Obaidul Quader admitted to CCU with heart complications

Awami League General Secretary and Minister of Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader has been admitted to a hospital over complications related to heart disease.

He was taken to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital’s Cardiac Division around 7:30 am on Sunday after he fell ill.

“He has been admitted to the CCU,” Awami League Deputy Office Secretary Biplob Barua told bdnews24.com. “He will undergo an angiogram.”

BSMMU Vice Chancellor Prof Kanak Kanti Barua was contacted on the matter, but he said he was too busy to comment.

BSMMU Director Brig Gen Md Abdullah-Al-Harun told bdnews24.com:
“He had a heart attack. He is somewhat stable now. He is currently under observation. We are looking after him.”

Quader, 67, was elected the Awami League’s general secretary in 2016.

He had spent two and a half years in prison after the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. He was elected the president of the Chhatra League while still incarcerated. He served two consecutive terms in the position.

During the Liberation War, Quader had been the captain of the Companyganj Thana Mujib Bahini.

He was first elected to parliament in 1996 and secured a victory from Noakhali-5 four times. In 1996, when the Awami League returned to power, Quader was selected as the state minister for youth, sports and cultural affairs. In 2002, after the Awami League lost the next election, he became the joint general secretary of the party.

Like many other politicians, Quader was imprisoned during the state of emergency declared by the military-backed caretaker government in 2007. He spent 18 months in jail and was released on bail two months before the ninth parliamentary election.

The Awami League returned to power after securing a victory in the polls. At first Quader was made the chief of the parliamentary standing committee on the information ministry.

Midway through the term, he was chosen by the prime minister as the minister of communications.

He has since led the ministry, which was later renamed the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges.