The Awami League (AL) general secretary, Obaidul Quader, yesterday alleged that the BNP-Jamaat combine is trying to topple the Sheikh Hasina-led government by riding on the ongoing student movement. “The recent attacks on the AL's Dhanmondi office has made it quite clear to everybody,” he added.

Quader, who is also the minister for road transport and bridges, was addressing a press conference at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office. He said that Hasina has directed them to remain alert so that the BNP-Jamaat combine could not fish in the troubled water.

Earlier, talking to journalists at a programme in Banani, Quader defended the assault on university students, saying it was the students who had launched an attack first on leaders and activists of the ruling party. “Will we kiss them if they advance towards the AL party office?” he said.

Claiming that discontent is brewing among the people due to wrongdoings of a vested political quarter, Quader called upon all to build a resistance against the evil force without putting pressure on children. “We will not put pressure on the children,” he added. The AL leader reiterated his call to the agitated students to return to home as all their demands had already been accepted.

He vowed to resist the BNP-Jamaat combine for the welfare of the country and also for creaing a peaceful atmosphere.

Meanwhile, several thousand students, including over a thousand of Dhaka University (DU), gathered at the Science Lab intersection in the capital around 11am. They marched towards Jhigatola and demanded answers from the authorities about Saturday’s attack on students.