Photo : BSS

RAJSHAHI, Feb 23, 2026 (BSS) - It is rare to see Mizanur Rahman Minu riding in a car in Rajshahi city.
In the morning, he goes to the vegetable market by rickshaw and returns the same way.
 
He also attends party programs traveling by rickshaw. Although he has now become the Land Minister, in Rajshahi he is seen in his familiar, simple manner-moving around the city by rickshaw.
 
For the past 10 years, Minu's regular rickshaw puller has been Abdul Quddus. On last Saturday morning as well, Minu left his home in the Bhadra area of the city on Quddus's rickshaw.
 
As usual, he went to Saheb Bazar Zero Point, where he spent time chatting warmly with elderly people out for their morning walk.
 
After that, he visited a community center in Saheb Bazar to meet party leaders and activists.
 
On his way back at noon, he stopped at a barbershop in Dorikhurbona. He has been visiting this very ordinary salon for the past 40 years. After leaving the salon, Minu again rode a rickshaw back home.
 
He was seen returning home by rickshaw, smiling and raising his hand to greet ordinary people along the way. 

Members of the public also greeted him back with smiles. His personal assistant, Abdur Rab Panna, was with him at the time.
 
Minu was elected mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation at the age of 32 and served consecutively for 17 years. 

While serving as mayor, he was elected a Member of Parliament from the Sadar constituency in the 2001 national election.
 
Later, he served as an adviser to the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. 

Even before becoming mayor, he used to travel around the city by rickshaw. 

During election campaigns, he would conduct mass outreach from one end of the city to the other on a rickshaw. 

The same was true during the most recent parliamentary election campaign-he was seen traveling by rickshaw.
 
Rickshaw puller Abdul Quddus, who lives in the Bhadra Jamalpur area, said, "Minu bhai travels around the entire city in my rickshaw. Even today, he did not take a government vehicle. He went out in my rickshaw. It feels good to me that even as a minister, he still moves around by rickshaw."
 
Mahmud Murshed Evan, former office secretary of the city unit of the student wing of the BNP, was present in front of the minister's house at noon. 

He said, "He always says that Rajshahi city does not know him merely as a mayor, MP, or minister. People know him as someone's brother, nephew, or uncle. That is how everyone recognizes him. He lives very simply. Even after 
becoming a minister, he went out this morning by rickshaw and returned home the same way. He is truly a leader of ordinary people."
 
Abdur Rab Panna, who has been with Minu for 11 years, said that a police vehicle had arrived last Saturday morning to provide protocol, and a government car was also ready. However, Minu did not use the car and declined any protocol. As usual, he went out alone on a rickshaw.
 
Panna added, "I have been with him for 11 years and have always seen him like this. He always wants to mix with the people and stay close to them."