Speaker Md Abdul Hamid Advocate was sworn in as the 20th President of Bangladesh, in a ceremony at Bangabhaban, the presidential palace, at 7:30pm on Wednesday, in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Acting speaker of Parliament, Col (retd) Shawkat Ali, MP, administered oath to the newly elected President, at Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban, as per Article 148 of Third Schedule of the Fifth Amendment to the country’s Constitution.
Immediately after taking oath, Md Abdul Hamid, who has been the speaker of Parliament twice, and elected MP from the constituency of Kishoreganj-4, shook hands with the acting Speaker and cabinet ministers, amid huge applause from the audiences.
With the swearing-in over, the President signed the oath of office and oath of secrecy, while the guests gave him a standing ovation. Cabinet secretary M. Musharraf Hosaain Bhuiyan conducted the ceremony.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, members of the Prime Minister’s family, cabinet members, MPs, judges of the Supreme Court, leaders of different political parties, the elite of the city, diplomats, senior journalists, and high-ranking civil and military officials were present at the swearing-in ceremony.
Opposition leader and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia did not attend the function, though the cabinet division had invited her by sending a letter, on Tuesday, to her parliament office.
President Md Abdul Hamid entered Bangabhaban minutes ahead of the scheduled time for the ceremony, and was received by his military secretary, Maj. Gen. Fakhruddin Ahmed.
The oath-taking ceremony was broadcast live by Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, and different private TV channels and radio stations.
Talking to the media after the swearing-in ceremony, the President said he would try his best, using his jurisdiction and power, to resolve the ongoing political impasse.
He sought blessings and cooperation of countrymen in discharging his responsibility as the President.
Abdul Hamid said he is no more a partisan, rather, he is for all.
Md. Abdul Hamid, advocate, was born on January 1, 1944, in Kamalpur of Mithamoin Upazilla, under Kishoreganj district. He is the son of late Hazi Md. Tayebuddin and late Tomiza Khatun.
Abdul Hamid got involved in politics from his student days in 1959. While studying in college, he had taken leading part in anti-Ayub Movement of 1961, and was imprisoned by the Pakistan government, for taking part in student movement. In 1963, he was elected as the general secretary, and, in 1965, as the vice-president, of the Students’ Union at Gurudayal College of Kishoreganj. Abdul Hamid was the founder president of Chhatra League of Kishoreganj sub-division, in 1964, and was also elected the vice-president of Chhatra League of Mymensingh district, in 1966-67. In 1969, he joined the Bangladesh Awami League.
In the National Assembly Election of 1970, Abdul Hamid was elected as the junior-most member, from Mymensingh-18 constituency. He took part in the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971, and acted as the chairman of a recruitment camp in Meghalaya of India. He also acted as the commander of the sub-sector of Bangladesh Liberation Force (Mujib Bahini).
He was also the chairman of Muktijuddha Youth Reception Camp at Meghalaya, during the Liberation War. In the National Election of 1973, he was elected as a member of parliament from Kishoreganj-5 constituency.
In 1974, he became the vice-president of Kishoreganj District Awami League, and, from 1978 to 2009, the president of Kishoreganj district Awami League, before being elected as the Speaker of 9th Parliament. During 1976-1978, Abdul Hamid was imprisoned by the then government, after the assasination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In the national elections of 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2009, Abdul Hamid was elected a member of parliament, from Kishoreganj-5 constituency. In the Seventh Parliament of 1996, he was unanimously elected as the Deputy Speaker (13 July, 1996, to 10 July, 2001), and, later, became the Speaker (12 July, 2001, to 28 October, 2001). In the Eighth Parliament, he served as the deputy leader of the opposition (1 November, 2001, to 27 October, 2006).
In the national elections held on 29 December, 2008, Abdul Hamid was elected a member of parliament and was unanimously elected as Speaker, on 25 January, 2009, for the second term.
Hamid is married and father of three sons and a daughter. Reading books on history and constitutions of different countries is his favourite hobby.
For his outstanding contribution to Bangladesh’s Independence and Liberation War, Abdul Hamid was conferred the Independence Award of 2013.
According to Article 54 of the Constitution, Abdul Hamid had been performing as Acting President of Bangladesh, since 14 March, 2013, following the death of the past President, Md Zillur Rahman.
-With The Independent input
