Law enforcement agencies can arrest BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, if they wish, said Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today.

"If they want, they can arrest the BNP leader. But someone should stay out of jail. Otherwise, who will carry out their programmes?" said Quader while speaking at a media briefing at the party's central office in 23 Bangabandhu Avenue on Sunday (5 November).

Remarking that the BNP has fallen into their own trap by trying to bring down the AL, he said, "The big leaders of the BNP who have been arrested, can they escape accountability? 

"From police killings to attacks on journalists…attacking the police, killing bus helpers by setting buses on fire, attacking the police hospital – which of these [offences] can anyone, including Mirza Fakhrul, avoid? If they are brought to books, not one of them can escape," he said. 

"These misdeeds were carried out on the orders of the BNP leaders. Terrorism has happened. The Canadian court rightly said the [BNP] is a terrorist organisation.

"BNP leader Amir Khasru often threw the Awami League in the bay of Bengal, sometimes in Karnaphuli and then in Buriganga. Where is he now?"

Alleging that the BNP staged quite a show during its nationwide rally on 28 October to oust the government, he said, "You can see what the party is capable of… They brought [US President] Biden's fake friends here to bring down the government. [You better] Stay away from Biden."

Mentioning the arrest of Lieutenant General Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardi in a case accusing him of committing treason by resorting to lies in a bid to destabilise the country, Quader said, "The BNP brought clever people like him, who repeatedly created confusion in the army, spread misinformation, rumours after retirement. Sarwardi is their hero."

Regarding the deployment of the Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB), he said the security forces have been deployed to increase surveillance to prevent the country's situation from worsening.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said Awami League's nomination forms will be sold and submitted at the Bangabandhu Avenue office.

"We will collect and submit nomination papers under eight of our divisions. Those who will collect our nomination forms will have to deposit Tk50,000. We will let you know when it will begin. We have started the preparations."