I used to eat Panta without salt, there was food shortage back then: Dr Ejaj

Entertainment Report :

Dr Ejajul Islam, a popular face in the country’s showbiz arena and a professional doctor, is a popular face in the country’s entertainment industry.

Although he is seen as a cheerful person on screen, the story behind his real life is one of struggle and sacrifice. In a recent interview, he spoke about his childhood, poverty, and his genuine love for ‘Panta Bhat’.

Dr Ejaj said that his childhood was not auspicious. Panta rice was his breakfast for about 10 to 12 days of the month. He said, “Earlier, I used to eat a bowl of Panta.

That’s all! Now that I have diabetes, I eat this much. But you will never be satisfied by eating this much Panta. There are some foods that you have to eat more. So, Panta has to be eaten more. So, I can’t eat much Panta because of diabetes. Now I eat a little occasionally.”

“And most of it is eaten at the shooting spot. Who will arrange a meal for me at home? No one eats. So when I go to the shooting spot, like when I did a job for Afzal Bhai a few days ago, I used to eat a meal in the morning at our legend Afzal Hossain’s job.

Because in the morning, everything was breakfast, and there was also a meal. I ate a meal in his job for a few days in the morning,” he also said.

In his words, “When I was young, I used to eat panta, whatever I was used to eating. We were not the children of such a big man. About 10 to 12 days a month, we used to see panta as our morning breakfast.

So, since I was forced to eat panta in the morning as a child, it became a favorite for my mouth as I ate it. I remember that I used to eat panta rice in the morning; there was a great shortage of salt at that time.

Salt was not available. We used to eat panta without salt as our morning breakfast. I remember that.”

He also said, “Panta mixed with green chilies, Panta with raw onions. It’s my favourite food. But if you don’t give me salt, then it’s like not eating much.

I remember there was no salt then, we used to eat Panta without salt. There was a lot of food shortage then.”

In the actor’s words, “I remember my grandmother used to have a small market in the village for us every three days. She would give me one taka. We would buy vegetables for that one taka and last us for three days.

After three days, we would buy another taka and last us for three days. Days passed like this. And since our house was on the bank of the river, there was no shortage of fish.

There was plenty of fish. I used to catch fish then. I remember that.”