Fighting religious extremism AL's main challenge

Observing that the Awami League has no strong opposition in politics right now, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said the ruling party's main challenge is to tackle religious extremism.

"A pernicious campaign is underway against Bangladesh. I want to clearly say that Awami League has no strong opposition in politics right now. We have a common danger and that is religious extremism," he told a press briefing after a joint meeting of the party at the AL president's Dhanmondi office.

He said the BNP's so-called movement is not a challenge for the AL.

Quader, also an AL presidium member, said late Ziaur Rahman in an article run by the now-defunct Dainik Bangla and Bichitra on the historic day said they had received the green signal of independence through the historic speech of Bangabandhu on March 7, 1971.

"But it's unfortunate the BNP founded by Ziaur Rahman doesn't observe the historic March 7."

AL central leaders, presidents and general secretaries of its Dhaka, Narayanganj, Manikganj, Gazipur and Munshiganj district units, and party lawmakers from those districts attended the meeting as part of preparation to hold a public rally at Suhrawardy Udyan tomorrow.

AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the rally.