Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, a prominent BNP leader and Special Assistant to former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, surprised locals on Thursday night by purchasing and wearing a sweater from a roadside vendor to brave the biting cold.
While traveling between social programs on January 6, Biswas found the intensity of the Pabna winter unbearable despite wearing a shawl. He stopped his motorcade at a line of makeshift stalls on Abdul Hamid Road. Amidst a crowd of ordinary buyers, he selected a brown sweater.
In a gesture that resonated with onlookers, when the shopkeeper asked for Tk 200, Biswas—pleased with the fit—voluntarily paid Tk 300 before immediately putting the garment on and continuing his journey.
The sight of a high-profile political figure—accompanied by senior leaders like Advocate Golam Sarwar Khan Jewel—mixing with common citizens at a sidewalk stall drew a large, curious crowd. Locals praised the act as a sign of a "leader of the soil," noting that such humility bridges the gap between the elite and the general public.
Shimul Biswas is widely known in the region for his extensive social work through the Alhaj Ahed Ali Manab Kalyan Trust (AB Trust). His ongoing contributions to Pabna poor people, providing livestock, sewing machines, and food to the destitute. Also Funding rural road paving and mosque developments. Donations for the construction and upkeep of madrasas, Eidgahs, and cemeteries.
While Shimul Biswas talking point in Pabna city, further solidifying his image as a leader dedicated to the welfare of daily wage earners and the helpless.
