Feni: A group local BNP leaders and activists, including a distant nephew of party chairperson Khaleda Zia, joined Awami League on Thursday.

AKM Mohiuddin Majumder alias Shamu, son of Khaleda’s cousin Azharul Haq Majumder, together with nearly a hundred BNP leaders and activists joined Awami League by presenting a bouquet to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ex-protocol office Alauddin Ahmed Chowdhury Nasim and Feni-2 MP Nizam Hazari at a public meeting.

Local Awami League arranged the meeting at Iskandaria Alim Madrasah in front of Khaleda’s ancestral home at Sreepur village in Fulgazi upazila.

Awami League leaders from the meeting stage announced that most members of Khaleda’s house along with some local people joined their party as the BNP chief did not carry out development activities during her rule in the area.

About joining AL, Mohiuddin Shamu, also a former chairman of Fulgazi Union Parishad, said he was Fulgazi unit Jubo league president in 1973 and returned to the same party. “I’ll chant the slogan of Joi Bnagla until my death and want to remain as an Awami family member.”

He also said, “Though Khaleda Zia is our aunt, she was never in touch with us. Her family members are arrogant and can’t respect people. She hardly comes to our house and she has nothing here.”

Contacted, Fulgazi unit BNP president Shahjahan Majumder claimed that Mohiuddin had never ever involved with BNP politics.

He also said the announcement of ruling party leaders that most members of the BNP chief’s house joined their party is also not true.

UNB/RI