Dhaka: Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday described the speech of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia as expression of her outrage towards Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

He came up with the comment while expressing his reaction over the speech of Khaleda Zia at a public rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on Sunday.

"Khaleda Zia stated that Awami League carried out repression. But her remark is not true. The countrymen also do not believe it. Rather, BNP-Jamaat alliance unleashed massacre during their regime," Quader told newsmen at Awami League president's Dhanmondi political office here this evening.

The AL general secretary said many leaders of Awami League including former Finance Minister Shah AMS Kibria, Ahsanullah Master, Mamtaz Uddin and Manjurul Imam were killed during the BNP-Jamaat alliance regime.

About the next general election, Quader said national election is held under the Election Commission, not under any party government.

The minister said like other parliamentary democratic countries, the incumbent government will extend all-out cooperation to the Election Commission to hold a free-fair national election.

"It is not true that Awami League does not want deployment of army in the polls. The Election Commission can deploy army if it considers the deployment as necessary," he said adding Awami League will have no objection in this regard.

About the remarks of BNP chairperson that she has forgiven Sheikh Hasina, Quader said Khaleda Zia has staged a drama to save herself from the punishment of case.

The minister said the incumbent government did not file the case rather military backed caretaker government led by Fakhruddin-Moeenuddin who were appointed by Khaleda Zia had lodged the case.

"The country thinks Khaleda Zia should say apology as she initiated the cruel politics in the country. During her regime, August 21 grenade attack was perpetrated to kill Sheikh Hasina," he added.

The Awami League general secretary said the people of Bangladesh did not forget how BNP had patronized terrorism and militancy in the country.

"The countrymen cannot forget that BNP had launched atrocities, arson attacks and sabotage that claimed lives of innocent people in 2013, 2014 and 2015," he added.

Awami League Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Organizing Secretaries Ahmad Hossain and AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Mirza Azam and Office Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap were present on the occasion, among others.