Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Joint Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is widely known for his cheerful, energetic and approachable personality. Throughout his long political career, he says he has never kept a personal account of what he gained or lost in terms of positions, power or political rewards. Carrying the political ideals of late President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Sohel says his primary objective is to strengthen the party and help it move forward.
For Sohel, politics is primarily about standing beside people in times of crisis and difficulty. He considers earning the trust and affection of ordinary people, and remaining close to them, among the most important achievements of his political life. He has also expressed his determination to remain committed to the BNP under the leadership and guidance of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.
Sohel became involved in nationalist politics during his student years. He played an active role in the Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal, the BNP's student wing, and eventually served as its president. Over the course of his political career, he has faced numerous challenges, including cases, arrests, remand and allegations of torture and political persecution.
Despite these experiences, Sohel says he has no personal ambition for political office. According to him, he does not calculate what he has gained or failed to gain through politics. He says he has no desire to become a minister or a member of parliament. If the party considers him suitable for a particular responsibility, he will accept it; if not, he says, he will have no regrets.
One of the most striking aspects of Sohel's political journey is the large number of cases filed against him. According to his account, the number of cases against him eventually exceeded 360. When the figure reached 365, he drew a humorous comparison with a famous record in cricket history.
Sohel recalled that one day he realised that around 360 cases had been filed against him. The figure reminded him of the legendary West Indies cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers, who scored 365 runs in a Test innings—then a world record. On the day the number of cases against him reached 365, a BNP programme was being held at the Mahanagar Natya Mancha in Dhaka.
Referring to the coincidence, Sohel jokingly told the gathering that he had "broken" Garfield Sobers' record.
The comparison did not end there. When the number of cases reached 400, another BNP programme was held at the same venue, according to Sohel. He noted that Brian Lara had surpassed Sobers' record by scoring 400 runs in a Test innings. On that occasion, Sohel again made a humorous remark, saying that by reaching 400 cases, he had "broken" Brian Lara's record as well.
According to Sohel, the number of cases eventually rose to 451 amid arrests, legal proceedings and what he described as various forms of harassment. Yet he says these experiences have not weakened his commitment to politics or his loyalty to the BNP.
Sohel's political outlook repeatedly centres on sacrifice, ideology and loyalty to his party. Rather than seeking positions or personal political gains, he says he places greater importance on remaining involved with the BNP and standing beside ordinary people. In his view, a politician's responsibility is to serve people without constantly calculating personal gains and losses.
Despite the hardships he says he has endured throughout his political career, Sohel maintains that he has no regrets. His long involvement in BNP politics, he says, is rooted in his commitment to the party's ideals and to the people.
He has also made it clear that he intends to remain active in politics in the future, following the party's decisions and the direction of its leadership, regardless of whether he receives a particular position or responsibility.