Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said the upcoming challenge of their party is to resist the communal evil forces under the patronization of BNP.

“On the founding anniversary of Awami League, our pledge is to consolidate the independence achieved through bloodshed. Disguised BNP is the main obstacle on the way of moving ahead. They act wrong in the name of Liberation War. Communal forces and militancy are the same enemies to us,” he said.

Quader said this to reporters after placing a wreath at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban in city’s Dhanmondi-32.

The AL general secretary said the communal forces are being united under the leadership of BNP. “We should defeat the evil forces and this is our today’s pledge. We will consolidate our victory. We will build a ‘Smart Bangladesh’ under the leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he added.

He said Awami League was formed to realize the dream of building an  independent and sovereign Bangladesh. Awami League is the traditional, biggest and oldest political party in the country, he said.

The minister said Awami League, the traditional and oldest political party, came into being on June 23 in 1949 and it became a popular political party among the mass people in this part of the world through the immense sacrifices and utmost dedication of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Quader said the country achieved independence under the leadership of the oldest and biggest political party, Awami League, which is also the pioneer of democratic and non-communal spirit of the country.

He said Awami League became leaderless after the assassination of Bangabandhu and most of his family members on August 15, 1975.

Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina took the helm of Awami League after returning to the country in 1981.

She again united the party. She has been leading the party for three decades, Quader said adding, democracy was unchained under the leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina.

He said trials of war criminals and Bangabandhu’s killers were held under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The AL general secretary said Bangladesh is now a role model before the world. The country has constructed ‘Padma Bridge’ with own fund. “The bridge is the symbol our ability,” he added.