Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury

Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury
সৈয়দা সাজেদা চৌধুরী
Member of Parliament
for Faridpur-2
In office
12 February 2008 – 11 September 2022
Preceded byKM Obaidur Rahman
Succeeded byShahdab Akbar Chowdhury
In office
5 March 1991 – 4 November 1995
Preceded bySaifuzzaman Chowdhury Jewel
Succeeded byAbul Hossain Mia
Minister of Forest and Environment
In office
23 June 1996 – 15 July 2001
Preceded byAkbar Hossain
Succeeded byShajahan Siraj
Member of the Bangladesh Parliament
for Reserved Women's Seat–9
In office
7 April 1973 – 6 November 1975
Preceded byPosition created
Personal details
Born
Syeda Sajeda

(1935-05-08)8 May 1935
Magura, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died11 September 2022(2022-09-11) (aged 87)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
NationalityBangladeshi
Political partyBangladesh Awami League
SpouseGolam Akbar Chowdhury
ChildrenShahdab Akbar Chowdhury (son)
Relatives
OccupationPolitician

Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury (8 May 1935 – 11 September 2022) was a Bangladeshi politician. 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.[1]

Early life and family

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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.[2] Both of her parents, Syed Shah Hamidullah and Syeda Asiya Khatun, were Bengali Muslims of Syed extraction.[3] Her paternal grandmother, Syeda Hamidunnesa, belonged to a Bengali Muslim zamindar family known as the Syeds of Bamna based in Barguna.[4]

Chowdhury had a bachelor's degree.[5]

Political career

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Chowdhury was a member of the 1st Jatiya Sangsad holding a reserved women's seat during 1973–1975. [6] Chowdhury became the Jatiya Sangsad member from the Faridpur-2 constituency in 2008, being re-elected in 2014 and 2018,.[7] She became the Deputy Leader of the House of Jatiya Sangsad on 12 February 2019 for the third consecutive term.[8][9]

Chowdhury became the deputy leader of the House of Bangladesh Parliament in February 2009.[10] 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.[11]

Chowdhury was awarded Independence Day Award in 2010 by the Government of Bangladesh.[12]

Corruption allegation

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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.[13][14] Chowdhury denied the allegation.[15] 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.[13] She was granted bail by the High Court.[16] 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.[17]

Personal life

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Syeda Sajeda married Golam Akbar Chowdhury (d. 2015).[18] 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.[19][20]

Chowdhury died from complications of COVID-19 in Dhaka on 11 September 2022 aged 87.[21] 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.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Hunter, B. (28 December 2016). The Statesman's Year-Book 1997-8. Springer. p. 188. ISBN 9780230271265.
  2. ^ সৈয়দা সাজেদা চৌধুরীর ৮৩তম জন্মদিন আজ [Today was the 83rd birthday of Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury] (in Bengali). Jugantor. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  3. ^ "সাজেদা চৌধুরীর ৭৮তম জন্মদিন" (in Bengali). 8 May 2013. Archived from the original on 9 June 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  4. ^ Ahmed, Siraj Uddin (2010). "বামনার জমিদার চৌধুরী পরিবার" [The zamindar Chowdhury family of Bamna]. বরিশাল বিভাগের ইতিহাস [History of the Barisal Division] (in Bengali). Vol. 1. Dhaka: Bhaskar Prakashani.
  5. ^ "সংসদ উপনেতা সৈয়দা সাজেদা চৌধুরীর স্বামী আকবর চৌধুরী আর নেই". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  6. ^ "1st Jatiya Sangsad members" (PDF). Government of Bangladesh. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  7. ^ "List of 11th Parliament Members". Bangladesh Parliament. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Sajeda to be deputy leader of House". The Daily Star. 12 February 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  9. ^ "Key Person of Bangladesh Parliament". Bangladesh Parliament. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  10. ^ "Sajeda new deputy leader of House". The Daily Star. 13 February 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  11. ^ "Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury dies at 87". www.dhakatribune.com. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Independence Day Award" (PDF). Government of Bangladesh. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  13. ^ a b "SC upholds HC order to stay case against Sajeda Chy". The Daily Star. 15 February 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  14. ^ "ACC sues Sajeda Chy, AKM Jahangir". The Daily Star. 11 July 2008. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Sajeda bins graft claims against her". The Daily Star. 7 October 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  16. ^ "Tofail, Sajeda, MK Anwar granted bail". The Daily Star. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  17. ^ "HC quashes graft case against Sajeda". The Daily Star. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  18. ^ "Golam Akbar Chowdhury passes away". The Daily Star. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  19. ^ "Sajeda's son, ex-Sonali Bank MD jailed". The Daily Star. 22 September 2008. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  20. ^ a b "By-polls to Sajeda Chy's Faridpur-2 seat underway". The Daily Star. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  21. ^ "AL presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury dies". New Age Bangladesh. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
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