Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday said Awami League is the name of going ahead gallantly through long struggle and movement against storm, darkness and autocracy.

"Awami League had played a crucial role in establishing right to vote and right to food of the people. The age of the organization is 75 years," he told a discussion organised by AL Dhaka South city unit marking anniversary of the party.

Quader said, "We sing the song of the victory standing in the procession of death row . . . we fly the flag of creation standing on the end of destruction. Our roots are deeply rooted in the soil of Bangladesh. We didn't grab power in the gunpoint in the wee hours. The countrymen had joined the Liberation War under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman".

Terming the BNP's movement as 'made in London', the AL general secretary said the movement of BNP has no strength. "BNP talks only and their movement is fake. AL doesn't fear in any way to this end," he added.

Tarique Rahman, he said, is a name of "trepidation" for BNP leaders as orders come from the bank of Thames River in the midnight.

AL Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif said that all achievements of the country realized under the leadership of Awami League. Bangladesh is now a role model before the world, he said.

Bangladesh, he said, would turn into a developed country by 2041 under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

AL Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim said Awami League is the most popular party in the sub-continent.

AL Presidium Member Dr Abdur Razzak, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya Bir Bikram and Quamrul Islam, Cultural Affairs Secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil and executive committee members Shahabuddin Farazi and Sayeed Khokan, among others, addressed the discussion.