‘Mujib coat put aside, I will vote for Dhaner Shish’

A comment made by a local Awami League activist in Faridpur has sparked discussion and criticism in the area after a video of his remarks circulated on social media.

Kazi Atiar Rahman Robi, an Awami League activist from Kadami village in Boalmari upazila, said at a prayer gathering that he had put away his “Mujib coat” after ironing it and would vote for the BNP’s electoral symbol, 'Dhaner Shis', in the upcoming election.

The remarks were made at a doa mahfil held on Friday (January 9) seeking eternal peace for former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

In his speech, Robi said he had previously been active in Awami League politics but was now shifting his support, claiming there was no visible presence of the party at present.

The event was attended by Anjuman Banu, wife of BNP-nominated candidate for the Faridpur-1 constituency Khandaker Nasirul Islam.

Rabi presided over the programme, while Abdur Rahman, assistant agriculture affairs secretary of the Boalmari upazila BNP, served as its moderator.

Commenting on the incident, Abdur Rahman said such remarks should not have been made on an open stage, adding that it was unclear why Rabi had made the statement and that the party felt embarrassed by it.