Shajahan Siraj
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Shajahan Siraj (1 March 1943 – 14 July 2020) was a Bangladeshi politician who served as the vice chairman of the
Bangladesh Nationalist Party The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (), popularly abbreviated as BNP (), is a major List of political parties in Bangladesh, political party in Bangladesh. It was founded on 1 September 1978 by President of Bangladesh, President Ziaur Rahman, wit ...
(BNP). As a student, he was involved with the
Bangladesh Liberation War The Bangladesh Liberation War (, ), also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalism, Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which res ...
. He was one of the founders of
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal The Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal () is a List of political parties in Bangladesh, political party in Bangladesh. The party was founded by Serajul Alam Khan. The party was dominant during the 1972–1975 Bangladesh insurgency. The current party presid ...
. He was a member of
Jatiya Sangsad The Jatiya Sangsad (), often simply referred to as Sangsad and also known as is the unicameral Legislature, legislative body of Bangladesh. The current parliament of Bangladesh contains 350 seats, including 50 seats reserved exclusively for w ...
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 Bangladesh Chhatra League, simply Chhatra League (), is the student wing of the political party, Bangladesh Awami League, founded by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 4 January 1948. The organisation is banned and listed as a terrorist organisation in B ...
, the student organization of the
Awami League The Awami League, officially known as Bangladesh Awami League, is a major List of political parties in Bangladesh, political party in Bangladesh. The oldest existing political party in the country, the party played the leading role in achievin ...
, from 1970 to 1972. He was a leader of the
Mukti Bahini The Mukti Bahini, initially called the Mukti Fauj, also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was a big tent armed guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military personnel, paramilitary personnel and civilians during the Ba ...
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 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), also known by the honorific Bangabandhu, was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman and activist who was the founding president of Bangladesh. As the leader of Bangl ...
. He served as the acting General Secretary and also the president of
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal The Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal () is a List of political parties in Bangladesh, political party in Bangladesh. The party was founded by Serajul Alam Khan. The party was dominant during the 1972–1975 Bangladesh insurgency. The current party presid ...
(JSD).


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, the use and production of
plastic shopping bag In use by consumers worldwide since the 1960s, shopping bags made from various kinds of plastic, are variously called plastic shopping bags, carrier bags, or plastic grocery bags. They are sometimes referred to as single-use bags—referring to c ...
s (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. He was sentenced to thirteen years in jail, and his wife three. That conviction was overturned in 2010.


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 Supreme Court of Bangladesh () is the highest court of law in the country. It is composed of the High Court Division and the Appellate Division, and was established by Part VI, Chapter I (Article 94) of the Constitution of Bangladesh, adopte ...
. Rajiv is a member of board of directors of One Group.


Death

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


References


Further reading

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Siraj, Shajahan 1946 births 2020 deaths Mukti Bahini personnel Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal politicians Bangladesh Nationalist Party politicians 2nd Jatiya Sangsad members 4th Jatiya Sangsad members 5th Jatiya Sangsad members 6th Jatiya Sangsad members 8th Jatiya Sangsad members People from Kalihati Upazila Ministers of environment, forest and climate change of Bangladesh Ministers of textile of Bangladesh Deaths from cancer in Bangladesh Bangladesh independence activists