Hamid’s 'regimented' Bangabhaban life gets longer

Known as the people's politician for his down-to-earth lifestyle and openness, President Md Abdul Hamid has been sworn in for a second term, extending his seclusive and highly regulated life in the Bangabhaban for another five years.

Parliament Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administered the oath at the Bangabhaban around 7:45pm on Tuesday in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her Cabinet colleagues and other dignitaries.

Many of Hamid’s candid videos on the 'suffocating' life in the Bangabhaban went viral as the president spent all his life in grassroots politics.

After spending decades in politics as a member of parliament, deputy opposition leader and Speaker, Hamid reached the pinnacle of the political career that any politician would envy and became the 20th President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh in 2013 when his party the Awami League nominated him for the top job.

His openness and no-nonsense modus operandi sometimes defied the presidential decorum as he often kept aside the written speeches and went extempore in many state ceremonies and received both applause and criticism.

According to him, life in Bangabhaban for a politician who was so close to the grassroots is not always comfortable. 

In his words, "When a bird is put in a cage, whatever comfort you give him, he misses the life in the open."

"I am here to discharge the responsibilities bestowed upon me (by my party and the state), but I miss the vibrancy in parliament. My mind tells me it wants something more."

He also drew an analogy between this Bangabhaban life and the one in the prison. "I was in jail during Ziaur Rahman’s regime. The difference between then and now is that no one would give me a salute at that time, but now everyone does that."

As per constitutional requirements, he had to give up all party positions after taking up the presidency.

Born at Kamalpur village in Kishoreganj’s Mithamoin on Jan 1, 1944, Hamid feels more comfortable identifying himself as a man from Haor or backswamp.

His political career began when he joined Bangladesh Chhatra League in 1959. He went to jail when he was a student in 1961 after joining the movement against Pakistani ruler Ayub Khan.

In the 1970 elections, he was elected the youngest member of Pakistan National Assembly from Mymensingh-18 constituency. He was awarded the Swadhinata Padak, Bangladesh's highest civilian honour, in 2013 for his contributions during the War of Independence.

After independence, he contested the 1973 national elections from the Kishoreganj-5 constituency and won.

He acted as deputy speaker from July 13, 1996 to July 10, 2001. Later, he was speaker from Jul 11, 2001 to Oct 28, 2001.

After the 2008 national elections, he was unanimously elected speaker for the second term.

He was hugely popular with the MPs across the political divide for his sharp sense of humour.

Hamid made his way to the Bangabhaban in 2013 after the death of president Zillur Rahman.

‘Thrifty’ Hamid made headlines when he cut the cost of his and his entourage’s foreign trip for his treatment after taking charge as president for the first time.

In an interview on Apr 26, 2014, he said, “I’ve cut the cost of renting hotel rooms during foreign trip. It had been 6,000 Singaporean dollars. I cut it to 600 Singaporean dollars.

“I travelled abroad alone when I was speaker. But I cannot do that now. I’ve also halved the hotel cost of my entourage,” he said.