Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday said a civil gathering to be organised by Awami League at Suhrawardy Udyan on November 18 is not a counter-programme to BNP’s rally.

‘It’s not completely a political programme...if anyone finds the smell of divisive politics that won’t be fair,’ Quader, also AL general secretary, said, reports the UNB.

He came up with the remarks at a meeting jointly organised by Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) and Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) marking the recognition of Bangabandhu’s 7th March Speech as part of the world’s documentary heritage by UNESCO at the National Press Club.

Pointing to BNP, he said, ‘The people who started bad politics in the country, who are the supporters of communalism and militancy say that they want a qualitative change in politics that will be considered as ‘Bhuter mukhe ram nam (a ghost taking name of gods).’

He also said AL will not hold any rally on working days considering people’s sufferings and every political party should consider this.

About the ninth wage board for the journalists, Quader said he has told the Information Minister to look into the matter carefully.

Former Dhaka University vice chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique, Jatiya Press Club general secretary Farida Yasmin, DUJ president Shaban Mahmud and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) vice chancellor Prof Dr Kamrul Hasan Khan, among others, spoke at the programme held with BFUJ president Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul in the chair.