Awami League is fighting to institutionalise democracy: Quader

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Thursday said his party is fighting to give democracy an institutional shape under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"Our fight will continue," Quader said at a programme, marking Shaheed Noor Hossain Day.

The leaders and activists of Awami League and its affiliated organizations paid tributes to Noor Hossain with wreaths at Noor Hossain Square at Zero Point in the capital.

Noor Hossain Day is observed commemorating the martyrdom of the young pro-democracy activist during the anti-Ershad movement in Dhaka on November 10, 1987.

Quader said democracy is an evolving process, it is not a magical transformation that will happen overnight.

"Our leader, Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina, led a movement to free democracy from dictatorship," he said.

Obaidul Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minsiter,  said BNP damaged democracy even when it was in the government, they damaged it even when it was an opposition party.

BNP should promise that they will not create violence and terrorism in the country.  "Why do their leaders and activists have to come out with sticks? They stage protests by tying up the national flag with sticks, this is another form of terrorism. It must be stopped," he said.

He said that democracy has been liberated under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, but there are many obstacles in Bangladesh to institutionalise democracy.

On November 10, 1987, Noor Hossain, a leader of Awami Jubo League, was killed in police firing when he was staging protests against then autocratic rule of  Gen HM Ershad at the capital's zero point near Gulistan.

Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nashim, Organizing Secretary Ahmad Hossain, SM Kamal Hossain, Publicity and Publication Affairs Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, were, among others, present.