Road Transport and Bridges Minister urges students not to step into ‘instigation trap’

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today urged the students not to step into any ‘instigation trap’.

“After failing in the quota reform demos, the BNP and the fundamental forces are depending on the students and they want to instigate their movement,” he told newsmen after a joint meeting held between the Awami League Presidium and Dhaka city north-south presidents and general secretaries and other associated bodies at the AL office in the capital.

Quader said the government has accepted all the nine demands of the agitating students.

“We are seeking cooperation from the heads of all the education institutions, member of the governing bodies and the guardians to bring back discipline on the roads,” he added.

At the same time, the AL general secretary urged the teachers and guardians to take back the students to homes and educational institutes.

The AL leader urged the party leaders and activists to have patience and face the present situation with caution.

“The government has accepted all the demands of the students to avoid any untoward situation and mitigate the people’s sufferings,” added the minister.

The AL general secretary said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself is looking into the demands put forward by the students.

He said a draft act will be finalized in the cabinet meeting on Monday and it will be placed in the next parliament session for enactment to ensure safety and discipline on roads.

“The slogans being chanted by children against the government are not decent, said the minister, adding that some vested quarters are now acting on the students.

“The people are the worst sufferers as plying of vehicles are being suspended on the street due to torching and vandalizing of those,” he said and hoped the sufferings will ended soon.

AL Joint General Secretaries Mahabub-Ul Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Awami League leaders AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Habibur Rahman Siraj, Akhtaruzzaman, Dhaka city north-south leaders including Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon, among others, attended the meeting.