Back to the AL pavilion for the third time

Local tobacco trader Momtaz Uddin of Mohishkhocha, Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat district, presents a brass boat replica to state minister of social welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed upon his joining AL for the third time. Photo: Prothom Alo
Local tobacco trader Momtaz Uddin of Mohishkhocha, Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat district, presents a brass boat replica to state minister of social welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed upon his joining AL for the third time. Photo: Prothom Alo

Local tobacco trader of Mohishkhocha, Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat district, Momtaz Uddin, 60, joined the local Awami League on Monday. This is the third time he had joined the party. He joined the Jatiya Party once in the past and joined BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) twice.

Momtaz, son of the late Soimuddin from Barghria village in Aditmari, is famous in the area for altering his political affiliations often.

A ceremony, held to celebrate his latest change, was attended by AL member of the parliament of Lalmonirhat- 2 and state minister of social welfare, Nuruzzaman Ahmed. Momtaz presented him a brass boat replica, the electoral symbol of AL.

He spent Tk 1.8 million on a feast for 20,000 people and erected six extravagant gates for the celebration.

Momtaz said, “It’s true that I have shifted my party allegiance several times, but I don’t want to do it anymore. Awami League is the best political party in the country, the most people-centred party. There is much scope to working here, so I return again and again. Pray that I do not have to change it again.”

The grand feast yesterday included beef and mutton along with pilau. About 300 persons wearing special T-shirts made for the occasion were busy cooking and packing the items.

Momtaz Uddin spent Tk 1.8 million on a feast for 20 thousand people. Photo: Prothom Alo
Momtaz Uddin spent Tk 1.8 million on a feast for 20 thousand people. Photo: Prothom Alo

Mamunur, son of Momtaz said, ‘My father loves to treat people and so he bought five cows and 15 goats to treat the special guests and the local people.”

Momtaz made his first move from Jatiya Party to AL in 2011. Later, when he was denied his wish to become the union AL president in 2012, he joined BNP. Again in 2016, before the union parishad polls, Momtaz went back to district AL. However, failing to gain the AL ticket for the polls, he returned to BNP that year.

Momtaz joined AL for the third time Monday evening at the ceremony at Mohishkhocha multipurpose high school and college compound.

State minister Nuruzzaman, as chief guest, said, “Awami League is a development-oriented party. New faces as well as those who left the party before may join. We want to serve the country together.”

AL general secretary and district council chairman Matiar Rahman along with the district AL vice president Sirajul Haq were special guests there while Nabiar Rahman, the union AL president, presided over the programme.

Abdul Mazid, member of the ward-4 at Mahishkhocha Union Parishad, observed, “Such an extravagant programme was never held over here before.”

Nuruzzaman Ahmed, an auto-rickshaw driver at Bargharia (Sardarpara) said, “Only Momtaz Uddin can say which party he is going to join at any time. Only he can say how long he will remain with AL.”

*The piece, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English, by Nusrat Nowrin.