Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has apologised for his remarks.
Speaking to reporters Saturday morning, he said, “What to do when someone approaches to the Awami League offices with firing guns? Greet with kisses or to confront with force?”
Later in the day, he addressed a media call at the party chief’s Dhanmondi offices, where he said, “I apologies if my remarks offended anyone. It was a slip of tongue.”
Quader, however, said the practice of using such language was common in politics. “But no one expected it from me.”
Scores were injured on Saturday in clashes after a group of student protesters marched towards the party offices on Dhanmondi Road 3/A after rumours spread that their fellows were being held there.
Blaming the BNP for plotting against the student protests for safer roads, the senior AL leader said, “We have said that Amir Khoshru’s conversation proved that the BNP is trying to drag this apolitical campaign into dirty politics. And Mirza Fakhrul’s Islam today’s statement made it clear.”
He said after failing to reap benefit from the quota reform protests, the BNP has now riding on the back of the students’ campaign for safer roads. “We now have reasons to believe that the BNP was involved with the Facebook video where a girl was claiming that she was being held in the Awami League offices.”
Urging party activists to be patient with the ongoing student protests, he, however, instructed them to be alert to prevent any attacks on Awami League.
“Prime Minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina has instructed us to show the highest patience.
“She has also ordered us to be alert, so that if any untoward situation is created, the Awami League men are able to prevent attack on the party or its office.”