Shajahan Siraj

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Shajahan Siraj

| constituency_MP = Tangail-4

| term_start = 1 October 2001

| term_end = 28 October 2006

| successor = Abdul Latif Siddiqui

| term_start1 = 1988

| term_end1 = 1996

| predecessor1 = Laila Siddiqui

| term_start2 = 1979

| term_end2 = 1986

| predecessor3 = Abdul Latif Siddiqui

| office4 = Minister of Environment and Forest

| term_start4 = 10 October 2001

| term_end4 = 6 May 2004

| office5 = Minister of Textiles

| term_start5 = 6 May 2004

| term_end5 = 29 October 2006

| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|03|01|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tangail, Bengal Presidency, British India

| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|7|14|1943|3|1|df=yes}}

| death_place = Dhaka, Bangladesh

| nationality = Bangladeshi

| occupation = Politician

| party = Bangladesh Nationalist Party

| otherparty = Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal

| spouse = Rabeya Siraj

}}

Shajahan Siraj (1 March 1943 – 14 July 2020){{Cite web|date=2020-07-14|title=Former minister and freedom fighter Shahjahan Siraj no more|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/politics/news/former-minister-and-freedom-fighter-shahjahan-siraj-no-more-1930233|access-date=2020-09-01|website=The Daily Star|language=en}} was a Bangladeshi politician who served as the vice chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). As a student, he was involved with the Bangladesh Liberation War. He was one of the founders of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal. He was a member of Jatiya Sangsad representing the Tangail-4 constituency.

Early life

Siraj attended Government Saadat College, where he was twice elected vice president of the student council. He served as the general secretary of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student organization of the Awami League, from 1970 to 1972. He was a leader of the Mukti Bahini and one of the leaders of Bangladesh liberation. Siraj was one of the designers of the Bangladesh flag. Siraj read the manifesto of Bangladesh independence on 3 March 1971, in front of millions of people in the presence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He served as the acting General Secretary and also the president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD).{{Cite web|url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Declaration_of_Independence|title=Declaration of Independence |website=Banglapedia |access-date=2016-10-15}}

Career

Siraj won election to parliament five times from Tangail-4 constituency. He served as a minister, for the Government of Bangladesh, during 1991 and 2001 BNP's tenure. During his tenure as the environment minister,{{cite news |title=Rickshaw riots in Bangladesh |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1794208.stm |work=BBC News |date=31 January 2002}} the use and production of plastic shopping bags (polythene bags) were banned in Bangladesh, 3-stroke scooters were withdrawn from the road, and social tree plantation turned into a movement.

In 2007, arrest warrants were issued for Siraj in connection with thirteen charges of tax evasion.{{cite news |title=11 tax-dodging cases filed against Shajahan Siraj, family |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/07/17/d70717012516.htm |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=17 July 2007}} He was sentenced to thirteen years in jail, and his wife three.{{cite news |title=Ex-BNP minister Shajahan gets 13 yrs for graft |url=https://bdnews24.com/politics/2008/04/22/ex-bnp-minister-shajahan-gets-13-yrs-for-graft |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=22 April 2008}} That conviction was overturned in 2010.{{Cite news |last1=Rahman |first1=Tanjir |last2=Numan |first2=Abdullah Al |date=14 July 2020 |title=Veteran politician Shahjahan Siraj passes away |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/obituary/2020/07/14/bnp-leader-and-freedom-fighter-shahjahan-siraj-passes-away |work=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=2021-01-31}}

Personal life

Siraj was married to Rabeya Siraj, a women's movement leader, president of the BNP's Dhaka city women's front, and a member of the BNP national executive committee. Together they have a daughter, Sarwat Siraj, and, Rajiv Siraj, a son. Sarwat is a practising advocate at the Bangladesh Supreme Court. Rajiv is a member of board of directors of One Group.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

= Death =

Siraj died on 14 July 2020 at a hospital in Dhaka after suffering from cancer.

Shajahan Siraj

Early life

Career

Personal life

= Death =

References

Further reading