Political identity can’t be shield of any wrongdoer: Obaidul Quader

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has said the government has a very strong stance against those involved in irregularities and corruption as it believes that political identity cannot be shield of any wrongdoer.

 “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has a very tough stance against irregularities and corruption and it has already become evident. Deshratna Sheikh Hasina has proven that political identity cannot be shield of any wrongdoer,” he said.

Quader, also Awami League general secretary, was addressing a virtual briefing after joining a regular view-exchange with Gopalganj road zone, BRTC and BRTA officials through videoconferencing from his official residence in Dhaka on Sunday, reports BSS.

He said the government has carried out self-motivated recent drives against health and other sectors and the casino issue as well while the drives would continue in the days to come.

Pointing to BNP, the minister said Bangladesh became world champion in corruption during the tenure of those who are talking about irregularities.

BNP has recognised itself as a self-acknowledged corrupt political party by giving corruption an institutional shape along with scrapping the section relating to corruption from the party’s constitution.

The government of Sheikh Hasina, he said, did not try to save any wrongdoer having party identity and as a result the accused in Biswajit murder case did not get lenience.

Accused in incidents like murders of Abrar of BUET, Rifat Sharif of Barguna and Nusrat of Feni have been brought to justice, he said, questioning to BNP whether they could set any instance like those during their tenures.

Dubbing Sheikh Hasina as the concrete symbol of generosity in the country’s political arena, the AL general secretary said she was the prime target of the grenade attacks carried out on August 21 in 2004.

Defying the grief of losing parents and other family members in brutal assassinations on August 15 carnage, the prime minister went to the door of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia to console her as she who lost her son, he said, adding that BNP could forget the behaviour that they made with the premier there but the AL couldn’t.

Earlier at the view-exchange, the minister said efficiency along with seniority will be evaluated in terms of giving promotion and posting to officials under the ministry.

Putting emphasis on maintaining the highest alertness in using government money side by side reducing wastage of money, Quader said quality in road constructions should be kept intact and urged the officials concerned to intensify their compact monitoring in keeping the standard of works and completing the works in due time.

He gave directives to form a probe-body to look into the incidents of road accidents and deaths in the return journey after the celebration of Eid-ul-Azha to submit its report within the next seven working days.

Roads and Highways Department Chief Engineer Kazi Shahriar Hossain, Road Transport and Highways Division Additional Secretary Chandan Kumar Dey, Additional Chief Engineer Monir Hossain Pathan and Gopalganj Road Zone Additional Chief Engineer Md Zakir Hossain joined the view-exchange through videoconferencing, among others.