Quader warns of stern action if extra fares are taken from passengers

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today warned that the government would take stern action if the transport owners and workers realise extra fares from passengers.

"If additional fares are realised from passengers breaking the pledge (of transport owners), the government will take stern action against them," he told a press conference at his official residence here.

Quader, also the Awami League (AL) general secretary, said the re-fixed transport fares will not be applicable to the gas-, octane- and patrol-run vehicles.  

About the strike of truck and covered-van owners-workers, he said the home minister has taken an initiative to sit in a meeting with the leaders of the concerned associations to resolve this crisis.

Responding to the statements of BNP leaders, the AL general secretary said there is no terrible situation in the country.

Noting that the government's stance is very harsh, in general, against those who are looting public assets, he said the BNP has taken the side of the looters by making statements.

Considering the public interest, Quader said, the government has taken firm stance against the communal forces, corrupt people and those involved in irregularities.

He said the undemocratic and autocratic governments had introduced criminalisation in the country's politics and stigmatised the politics, and the BNP cannot avoid its responsibility to this end.

The AL general secretary said this is time to expose the faces of those who ran such a state that went against the spirit of the Liberation War, by killing the great leader of the war and later the freedom fighter army officers in the name of 'Sipahi-Janata Biplob'.

He said the BNP wants to hide the truth but it must be revealed.

The conspiratorial incidents taking place from 3 to 7 November in 1975 were not exposed before public, Quader said, demanding the unmasking of those involved in these incidents by forming an inquiry commission.  

Replying to the allegation of BNP that its leaders and workers are being harassed, he said those carried out attacks on puja mandaps and were trying to destroy communal harmony in the country are patriotic ones in the words of BNP.  

The AL general secretary said by examining video footages, the law enforcing agencies are taking actions against the people who conducted attacks on puja mandaps.