Shamsher Mobin, two others join Bikalpadhara

Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, who had retired from BNP politics as its vice-chairman in 2015, yesterday joined Bikalpadhara Bangladesh ahead of the 11th parliamentary election.

Apart from Mobin, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, led by former president Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, has got two former state ministers -- Golam Sarwar Milon and Nazimuddin Al-Azad -- as its new members.

Mobin served as the foreign secretary during the BNP-Jamaat alliance government. In 2008, he joined the BNP after serving as the Bangladesh envoy to the US for two years. He was made a vice-chairman after the BNP's national council in 2009.

He was arrested in early 2015 during the BNP-led alliance's nonstop blockade and later released on bail.

He joined hands with the Bikalpadhara by presenting a bouquet to Badruddoza at a programme of Jubo Dhara, youth front of the Bikalpadhara, in Dhaka yesterday.

Badruddoza, who was the founding secretary general of BNP, had formed the Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, in March 2004 quitting the BNP.

Of the two former state ministers, Golam Sarwar Milon was the first elected president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, while Nazimuddin Al-Azad was the state minister for religious affairs of the previous BNP-Jamaat alliance government. The two joined the Bikalpadhara at the same programme.

Addressing the programme, Mobin said, “Three years ago, I said I would return to politics if someone came forward with the spirit of the Liberation War and the ideology of Bangabandhu. I have joined Bikalpadhara to play my role in creating a happy, peaceful and prosperous Bangladesh under the leadership of Badruddoza Chowdhury.”

Talking to The Daily Star, Mobin said, “Let me try again whether I can do anything positive for the country. Apart from this, Badruddoza Chowdhury is a senior citizen and a clean politician and so I joined the party.”

Asked whether he would return to the BNP, Mobin said, “There is no chance right now.”

Former National Awami Party chairman Zebel Rahman Gani, National Democratic Party Chairman Khandaker Golam Murtaza and Labour Party Secretary General Hamdullah Al Mehdi also expressed their solidarity with the Bikalpadhara.