Kolkata, Dec 9 (IANS) It was a trip full of nostalgia for former Bangladesh ruler General Hussain Muhammad Ershad as childhood friends welcomed him with flowers, poems and songs during the three-day visit to his ancestral home in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district.
“He was overwhelmed by the warmth of people of Dinhata during his stay here,” said Jayanta Chakraborty, a teacher of Dinhata High School (Boys).

Ershad completed his matriculation from the school in 1946. He migrated to the then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, in 1947.

The former Bangladesh president came to his ancestral home Sunday. He interacted with hundreds of villagers and old friends and also attended a programme in his school before returning to Bangladesh Wednesday.

He was felicitated by a number of organisations and eminent people. He was welcomed by late Forward Bloc leader Kamal Guha’s son Udayan.

Ershad, who seized power in a military coup in 1982, last visited Dinhata sub-division in 1975.

Ershad’s father Muhammad Maqbul Hussein migrated to East Paksitan and settled down in Rangpur, while his five brothers decided to stay back in India.

Ershad ruled Bangladesh till 1990 when he handed over power to a civilian government. He then floated the Jatiya Party and was elected an MP for two successive terms (1991, 1996).