Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury
{{Short description|Bangladeshi politician (1935–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{infobox officeholder
| name = Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury
| native_name = সৈয়দা সাজেদা চৌধুরী
| native_name_lang = bn
| constituency_MP = Faridpur-2
| term_start = 12 February 2008
| term_end = 11 September 2022
| predecessor = KM Obaidur Rahman
| successor = Shahdab Akbar Chowdhury
| term_start1 = 5 March 1991
| term_end1 = 4 November 1995
| predecessor1 = Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jewel
| successor1 = Abul Hossain Mia
| office2 = Minister of Forest and Environment
| term_start2 = 23 June 1996
| term_end2 = 15 July 2001
| predecessor2 = Akbar Hossain
| successor2 = Shajahan Siraj
| constituency_MP3 = Reserved Women's Seat–9
| parliament3 = Bangladesh
| term_start3 = 7 April 1973
| term_end3 = 6 November 1975
| predecessor3 = Position created
| birth_date = {{birth date|1935|05|08|df=y}}
| birth_name = Syeda Sajeda
| birth_place = Magura, Bengal Presidency, British India
| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|09|11|1935|05|08|df=y}}
| death_place = Dhaka, Bangladesh
| occupation = Politician
| party = Bangladesh Awami League
| spouse = Golam Akbar Chowdhury
| relatives = {{ubl|Syed Qamarul Ahsan (uncle)|Syed Rahmatur Rob Irtiza Ahsan (cousin)}}
| nationality = Bangladeshi
| children = Shahdab Akbar Chowdhury (son)
| image = Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury (1970).jpg
| caption = Sajeda Chowdhury during the 1970 Pakistani general election
}}
Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury (8 May 1935 – 11 September 2022) was a Bangladeshi politician who served as the Deputy Leader of the Jatiya Sangsad from 2009 to 2022. She served as a Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Faridpur-2 constituency from 2008 till her death in 2022. She also served as the Environment and Forest Minister of Bangladesh during 1996–2001.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QE7ODQAAQBAJ&q=statesmen+1996+1997+sheikh+hasina&pg=PA188|title=The Statesman's Year-Book 1997-8|last=Hunter|first=B.|date=2016-12-28|publisher=Springer|isbn=9780230271265|language=en|page=188}} She was also the first and only female general secretary of the Bangladesh Awami League, serving from 1986 to 1992.
Early life and family
Syeda Sajeda was born on 8 May 1935 in her maternal home in Magura (formerly under Jessore District) in the then Bengal Presidency in British India.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jugantor.com/todays-paper/news/46319/সৈয়দা-সাজেদা-চৌধুরীর-৮৩তম-জন্মদিন-আজ|script-title=bn:সৈয়দা সাজেদা চৌধুরীর ৮৩তম জন্মদিন আজ|trans-title=Today was the 83rd birthday of Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury|access-date=5 April 2019|language=bn|date=8 May 2018 |work=Jugantor }} Both of her parents, Syed Shah Hamidullah and Syeda Asiya Khatun, were Bengali Muslims of Syed extraction.{{cite news|title=সাজেদা চৌধুরীর ৭৮তম জন্মদিন|url=http://www.natunbarta.com/politics/2013/05/08/25013|access-date=7 December 2016|date=8 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609043132/http://www.natunbarta.com/politics/2013/05/08/25013|language=bn|archive-date=9 June 2013}} Her paternal grandmother, Syeda Hamidunnesa, belonged to a Bengali Muslim zamindar family known as the Syeds of Bamna based in Barguna.{{cite book|title=বরিশাল বিভাগের ইতিহাস|language=bn|year=2010|author=Ahmed, Siraj Uddin|volume=1|publisher=Bhaskar Prakashani|location=Dhaka|chapter=বামনার জমিদার চৌধুরী পরিবার|trans-chapter=The zamindar Chowdhury family of Bamna|trans-title=History of the Barisal Division}}
Chowdhury had a bachelor's degree.{{cite web|title=সংসদ উপনেতা সৈয়দা সাজেদা চৌধুরীর স্বামী আকবর চৌধুরী আর নেই|url=http://www.prothom-news.com/national/2015/11/23/86262/|website=Prothom Alo|language=bn|access-date=7 December 2016}}
Political career
{{expand section| her work as the Environment and Forest Minister of Bangladesh.|date=September 2022}}
Chowdhury was a member of the 1st Jatiya Sangsad holding a reserved women's seat during 1973–1975.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719173720/https://www.parliament.gov.bd/images/pdf/formermp/1st.pdf|url=https://www.parliament.gov.bd/images/pdf/formermp/1st.pdf|title=1st Jatiya Sangsad members|publisher=Government of Bangladesh|archive-date=2023-07-19|accessdate=2024-11-29}}
Chowdhury became the Jatiya Sangsad member from the Faridpur-2 constituency in 2008, being re-elected in 2014 and 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/mps/members-of-parliament/current-mp-s/list-of-11th-parliament-members-english |title=List of 11th Parliament Members |website=Bangladesh Parliament |access-date=10 January 2019}} She became the Deputy Leader of the House of Jatiya Sangsad on 12 February 2019 for the third consecutive term.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/politics/news/sajeda-chowdhury-made-deputy-leader-js-1700638|title=Sajeda to be deputy leader of House|date=12 February 2019|work=The Daily Star|language=en|access-date=5 April 2019}}{{cite web | url=http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/about-parliament/key-person-of-bangladesh-parliament | title=Key Person of Bangladesh Parliament | work=Bangladesh Parliament | access-date=29 July 2016}}
Chowdhury became the deputy leader of the House of Bangladesh Parliament in February 2009.{{cite news | url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-75679| title=Sajeda new deputy leader of House | work=The Daily Star | date=13 February 2009 | access-date=29 July 2016}} She is only woman politician who served as General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League from 1986 and held the position till 1992. Since then she was inducted into the Presidium.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-12 |title=Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury dies at 87 |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2022/09/12/syeda-sajeda-chowdhury-dies |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=www.dhakatribune.com |language=en}}
Chowdhury was awarded Independence Day Award in 2010 by the Government of Bangladesh.{{cite web|url=http://brri.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/brri.portal.gov.bd/page/87944ec4_496e_415d_af37_27a10fb35625/Independence%20Day%20Award.pdf|title=Independence Day Award|access-date=5 February 2019|publisher=Government of Bangladesh}}
=Corruption allegation=
On 10 July 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against Chowdhury over concealing wealth worth Tk 1.38 million and amassing it illegally.{{cite news | url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-126395 | title=SC upholds HC order to stay case against Sajeda Chy | work=The Daily Star | date=15 February 2010 | access-date=29 July 2016}}{{cite news | url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-45215 | title=ACC sues Sajeda Chy, AKM Jahangir | work=The Daily Star | date=11 July 2008 | accessdate=29 July 2016}} Chowdhury denied the allegation.{{cite news | url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-6959 | title=Sajeda bins graft claims against her | work=The Daily Star | date=7 October 2007 | access-date=29 July 2016}} On 18 November 2008, Bangladesh High Court stayed the proceedings against her in the case which was again upheld by the Supreme Court on 15 February 2010. She was granted bail by the High Court.{{cite news | url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-46716 | title=Tofail, Sajeda, MK Anwar granted bail | work=The Daily Star | date=21 July 2008 | access-date=29 July 2016}} On 29 November 2010, High Court revoked the proceedings of the case on the grounds that the charges against Chowdhury were not specifically disclosed in the case.{{cite news | url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-259309 | title=HC quashes graft case against Sajeda | work=The Daily Star | date=30 November 2012 | access-date=29 July 2016}}
Personal life
Syeda Sajeda married Golam Akbar Chowdhury (d. 2015).{{cite news | url=http://www.thedailystar.net/city/golam-akbar-chowdhury-passes-away-177139 | title=Golam Akbar Chowdhury passes away | work=The Daily Star | date=24 November 2015 | access-date=29 July 2016}} Their youngest son, Shahdab Akbar Chowdhury, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment by a special court in 2008 for amassing wealth illegally and concealing information in his wealth statement submitted to the ACC.{{Cite web|date=2008-09-22 |title=Sajeda's son, ex-Sonali Bank MD jailed |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-55953 |access-date=2022-11-05 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2022-11-05 |title=By-polls to Sajeda Chy's Faridpur-2 seat underway |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/elections/news/polls-sajeda-chys-faridpur-2-seat-underway-3160946 |access-date=2022-11-05 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}
Chowdhury died from complications of COVID-19 in Dhaka on 11 September 2022 aged 87.{{cite news |title=AL presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury dies |url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/180839/al-presidium-member-syeda-sajeda-chowdhury-dies |work=New Age Bangladesh|date=12 September 2022 |access-date=12 September 2022}} After her death, her son, Shahdab, selected by Awami League, ran for the vacant parliamentary position in by-poll election held on 5 November 2022.
References
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Category:People from Magura District
Category:Politicians from Dhaka Division
Category:Awami League politicians
Category:Women government ministers of Bangladesh
Category:21st-century Bangladeshi women politicians
Category:Women members of the Jatiya Sangsad
Category:5th Jatiya Sangsad members
Category:9th Jatiya Sangsad members
Category:10th Jatiya Sangsad members
Category:11th Jatiya Sangsad members
Category:Ministers of environment, forest and climate change of Bangladesh
Category:Recipients of the Independence Award
Category:20th-century Bangladeshi women politicians
Category:Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League central committee members