President Abdul Hamid has said the controlled life of Bangabhaban wouldn’t always seem comfortable for a politician who worked his way up from the grassroots. “No matter how well you feed a caged bird, it is not a bird of the forest anymore. I’ve been here endowed with a responsibility. In parliament, I used to have food for the mind which I don’t get at the Bangabhaban,” he said. President Abdul Hamid said this on Wednesday night in conversation with the correspondents of United News of Bangladesh (UNB) and two other news agencies attached to the Bangabhaban, marking the first anniversary of his assumption of office. During the conversation, the President, who had been an elected MP seven times, shared his Bangabhaban experience and his political activities during his formative years. “I can’t do whatever I wish. And there are barriers to wishing, too. In fact, this place (Bangabhaban) wouldn’t seem comfortable always for the person who has a long background in grassroots politics. Those who don’t freely mix with people are a different case. Most of them were Justices and teachers here. They don’t mix with many people,” he added. The President further said: “In fact, there is no personal or private life here. I don’t even get any respite when I’m abroad. When I had been in Singapore for the first time after becoming the President, I thought I would be free to some extent. But they’ll not leave me alone even there. Security people are always with me. I’m not a free man at all.” On the evaluation of his first year, the President, who took oath of office as the country’s 20th President on April 24 last year, said “In fact, there is not much work to do as the President. What I do is routine work. I had planned many things when I was in the parliament. Cancelled this and that.” He went on “There is nothing to see here. But I decreased hotel fare during the tours abroad. My hotel rent in Singapore was six thousand Singaporean dollar. I have reduced it to six hundred dollars. I used to travel (in Singapore) alone when I was the Speaker. Now there is no way even for that. Besides, I halved the hotel fare of my entourage.” “In fact, I have no work here. All are done by others. During the recent political situation, I gave advice driven by my conscience,” Abdul Hamid added. In reply to a question on which post he enjoyed most as he discharged duties as Bar President, deputy speaker, opposition’s deputy leader, speaker and President, Abdul Hamid replied “ Deputy Speaker…There was not much responsibilities….. Presiding over the House in the absence of Speaker….There is no more work…..there is no administrative duty. “But a speaker needs to take many things…always keep alert. I had to be alert. But now even the gushing water doesn’t get me,” the President, who had been elected speaker twice, added. On his early political life, he said “In fact the spirit against the then ruling group had started by observing 21st February while I was in Class 9. Means the ruling class is not in our favor… I am talking about the spirit that the ruling group is against our language, though Bangla was made state language.” He went on “If you talk about the political turn, then it was in the beginning of college life. We had observed the 21st February in a huge manner in 1962. An elder brother of Degree class was convener of the 21st February observance committee. I was joint convener. The procession was 1.5 mile long. From the programme I became familiar to all.”
Source: UNBConnect
