Shajahan Siraj facts for kids

Shajahan Siraj (born March 1, 1943 – died July 14, 2020) was an important politician from Bangladesh. He was a leader in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). As a young student, he played a big part in the Bangladesh Liberation War. He also helped start a political group called Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal. He was elected many times to the Jatiya Sangsad, which is like Bangladesh's parliament, representing the Tangail-4 area.

Early Life and Student Leadership

Shajahan Siraj went to Government Saadat College. While there, students elected him as vice president of their council twice. This shows he was a popular student leader.

From 1970 to 1972, he was the general secretary of the Bangladesh Chhatra League. This was a student group connected to the Awami League political party.

Role in Bangladesh's Independence

Shajahan Siraj was a key leader of the Mukti Bahini. This was the freedom fighter group during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He helped lead the fight for Bangladesh's independence.

He was also one of the people who helped design the Bangladesh flag. On March 3, 1971, he read the declaration of Bangladesh's independence. He did this in front of many people, with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman present. This was a very important moment for the country.

Later, he served as a leader and president of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) political party.

Political Career and Public Service

Shajahan Siraj was elected to parliament five times. He represented the Tangail-4 area each time. He served as a minister for the Government of Bangladesh. This was during the years when the BNP party was in power, between 1991 and 2001.

Key Achievements as Minister

As the Minister of Environment, Shajahan Siraj made some big changes. He helped ban the use and making of plastic shopping bags in Bangladesh. These are also known as polythene bags. He also helped remove 3-stroke scooters from the roads. During his time, planting trees became a popular movement across the country. He later served as the Minister of Textiles.

Personal Life

Shajahan Siraj was married to Rabeya Siraj. She was also a leader, especially in women's movements. She was a part of the BNP party's national committee. They had a daughter named Sarwat Siraj and a son named Rajiv Siraj. Sarwat is a lawyer at the Bangladesh Supreme Court. Rajiv is part of the board of directors for a company called One Group.

Passing Away

Shajahan Siraj passed away on July 14, 2020. He was in a hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He had been suffering from cancer.