# Obaidul Quader

Obaidul Quader (born 31 December 1949) is a Bangladesh Awami League politician who has been the General Secretary of the party since October 2016. He was the Minister of Road Transport and Bridges during 2011–2024 and represented the Noakhali-5 Jatiya Sangsad member during 2009–2024. He is also the Media Adviser for the Bangladesh Awami League and regularly conducts press conferences on their behalf. Previously, he served as the State Minister for Youth and Sports between 1996 and 2001.
Quader has been accused as one of the key perpetrators of the July massacre. He is wanted by the Bangladesh Police on charges of crimes against humanity during the Student–People's uprising of 2024.

## Early life and education

Obaidul Quader was born on 1 January 1950 to Mosharrof Hussain and Begum Fazilatunnesa in Bara Rajapur village, in what is now Companiganj Upazila, Noakhali, Bangladesh. He has six sisters and three brothers, including Abdul Kader Mirza, the incumbent mayor of Basurhat municipality in Companiganj. He completed his matriculation with a first division from Basurhat A. H. C. Government High School and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) from Noakhali Government College. He obtained a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Dhaka.

## Career

Quader has been involved in politics since his college years. In 1966, he played an active role during the six point movement. He was also engaged in the mass uprising and the eleven-point movement in 1969. He joined the Liberation War of Bangladesh as the commander of Companigonj Thana Mujib Forces. After 1975, Quader was imprisoned for two and a half years. While in prison, he was chosen as president of the central committee of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, serving two consecutive terms. He worked as the assistant editor of the newspaper Daily Banglar Bani for a long time.
Quader became a member of parliament for the constituency Noakhali-5 in the parliamentary elections of June 12, 1996. He served as State Minister of Youth, Sports, and Cultural Affairs from June 23, 1996, to July 15, 2001, and was the first senior joint general secretary of the Bangladesh Awami League from December 26, 2002, to July 26, 2009. He was arrested on March 9, 2007, by the Caretaker government of Bangladesh and remained in prison for 17 months and 26 days before being released on bail on September 5, 2008.
On December 5, 2011, Quader was appointed as Minister of Communication. He took his seat in parliament on January 5, 2014, for the Noakhali-5 constituency for the third time in the 10th parliamentary election. He became the general secretary of the Awami League in October 2016 at the party's 20th council. Quader retained the general secretary post in the Awami League’s 22nd national council for a third consecutive term.
Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, Quader's home in Noakhali was vandalized and burned down in February 2025.

## Works

Quader authored the following books:
* Bangladesh: A Revolution Betrayed (1976)
* Bangladesher Hridoy Hote
* Pakistaner Karagare Bangabandhu
* Ei Bijoyer Mukut Kothai
* Teen Somudrer Deshe
* Meghe Meghe Onek Bela
* Rochona Somogro
* Karagare Lekha Onusmriti: Je Kotha Bola Hoyni
* Nirbachito Column
* Gangchil

## Controversies
### Allegations of Instigating Conflicts and Massacre

During the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement, Quader was accused of inciting violence by encouraging members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the Awami League, to confront student protesters. On 15 July 2024, Quader reportedly stated that the BCL was prepared to respond to what he described as the audacity of anti-quota protesters who had demonstrated in their respective universities the previous night. On 17 July, he urged party members to remain vigilant and position themselves in every ward across the country to counter what he called the "evil efforts" of the protesters.
Reports indicate that over 200 individuals died during the protests that followed. In July and August 2024, a mass uprising against the Awami League government occurred, which were met with violent suppression, reportedly resulting in the deaths of over 1,000 individuals, which is often referred to as the July massacre. On 5 August 2024, following the uprising, the government was overthrown with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigning and fleeing the country.
Following the fall of the government, Quader was reported missing. On 13 August 2024, a murder complaint was filed in a Dhaka court against Quader, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and four other former government officials, alleging their involvement in the killing of a grocer during the protests on 19 July.

### Corruption allegation

Quader was arrested by the joint forces on corruption allegation on 9 March 2007, and corruption charges were framed against him and his wife for accumulating wealth illegally and concealing them in income file records. He was also accused of providing fake sources of income by the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh.
In 2019, Netra News revealed that Quader has a collection of dozens of expensive wristwatches that cost tens of thousands of US dollars. Wristwatches in his possession include brands like Rolex, Ulysse Nardin and Louis Vuitton. According to the whistleblower, Quader receives watches from contractors of the megaprojects in lieu of undue favours. Obaidul Quader later accepted of owning the expensive wristwatches cited in the report to the media and claimed that the watches were gifted to him by Awami League supporters and leaders. In April 2023, in an interview with Voice of America he admitted that he has a rich collection of wristwatches and he accepted expensive gifts from party supporters.
However, the claim of receiving expensive gifts suggests Quader has violated the Toshakhana (Maintenance and Administrative) Rules 1974. Section 4(b) of the rules mentions that the ministers can only accept gifts up to 30,000 Bangladeshi takas (equivalent to USD 300) without handing them over the treasury of the government. Transparency International Bangladesh chapter raised question on his acquiring of expensive wristwatches.