Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader today said Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will swallow the entire country if it returns to power.

“(When the party was in power) BNP ate up the foreign exchange reserves of the country. The economy was also ruined. The values of the Liberation War were not honoured either. The ideals of freedom were nonexistent,” he said.

Quader made the remarks at the triennial council of Dhaka District Awami League which was held today at the capital's Sher-E-Bangla Nagar old trade fair ground.

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said that Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves were less than USD 5 billion when BNP left office. 

He said from that position, the foreign exchange reserves went up to USD 48 billion during the tenure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. 

Read: Dhaka AL Council: Benzir named president, Poniruzzaman GS

Due to the ongoing global crisis, the reserves came down to USD 36 billion, he said, adding that not only Bangladesh but also the whole world is facing an acute financial crisis. 

Comparing their council with BNP's rally in Rangpur, Quader urged BNP general secretary Mirza Fakhrul to see how many people turned out at the district council even without the presence of Sheikh Hasina.

"Most activists who attended the BNP rally passed their time under the open sky as they arrived two-three days ago. But Mirza Fakhrul was living it up on a bed of money. The more programmes he can arrange, the more money he can make. Money is coming from Dubai," he said.

He said 10 lakh people will turn out at the AL rally in Chattogram to be held on December 4 where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend. 

Read more: AL is not obstructing BNP rally, says Obaidul Quader

Freedom fighter Benazir Ahmed was announced the president of the new committee at Dhaka AL triennial council while Ponirujjaman Tarun was named general secretary.

Dhaka District Awami League triennial council was held last in September, 2016.