List of people from Sylhet

This is a list of notable residents and people who have origins in the region of Sylhet, Bangladesh, which includes the districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj and Maulvibazar. This list also includes people who are British Bangladeshi or Bangladeshi American who have origins in Sylhet. The people may also be known as Sylheti. The part of Sylhet which is now in India known as Barak Valley, are not included in this list, although they speak the Sylheti language.

Philanthropists

• Sir Fazle Hasan Abed

Educators

• Govinda Chandra Dev (1 February 1907 – 26 March 1971), known as G. C. Dev, was a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Dhaka. He was assassinated at the onset of Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 by the Pakistan Army.
• Dewan Mohammad Azraf
• Abdul Malik (physician), National Professor, Brigadier (rtd.), Cardiologist, Founder and President of National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh.
• Muhammed Zafar Iqbal Physicist, writer, columnist

British-Sylheti politicians

Rushanara Ali, a British politician

• Rushanara Ali, first Bangladeshi to be elected as an MP for the British parliament^[1]
• Ajmal Masroor, television presenter, politician and imam, Parliamentary candidate for a UK Parliament constituency.^[2]
• Lutfur Rahman, the first elected mayor of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets council.^[3]
• Mohammed Abdus Salique, Mayor of London Borough of Tower Hamlets 2008–09.^[4]
• Pola Uddin, Baroness Uddin, first Bangladeshi Muslim to sit in the House of Lords, and Labour politician^[5]

Freedom Fighters

• General M A G Osmani, Supreme Commander of Mukti Bahini,^[6][7] former MP, former minister and former Adviser to President of Bangladesh
• Govinda Chandra Dev, professor of Philosophy at the University of Dhaka
• (Motii Lal Mohonta),company commander,volagonj sub sector in 1971,former assistant commander sylhet zilla freedom fighter parliament)

Journalists

• Mukhlesur Rahman Chowdhury, editor-in-chief of the Bangladesh Worldwide and the Weekly Prekkhit, former President of Overseas Correspondents Association Bangladesh (OCAB).
• Altaf Husain, editor of Dawn and former Minister for Industries and Natural Resources in the Federal Government of Pakistan^[8]
• Hassan Shahriar, journalist
• Muhammed Faizur Rahman, Editor & publisher of The Daily Sylhet Sanglap, Founder Editor & Publisher of The Daily Sylheter Dak.

Littérateur

Hason Raja, a mystical poet and songwriter

• Hason Raja
• Syed Mujtaba Ali, writer.^[9]
• Dilwar Khan, poet
• Shah Abdul Karim, Singer

Lyricists

• Hason Raja, minstrel and writer of mystical songs^[10]
• Radharaman Dutta, lyricist and composer of folk and traditional dhamal dance music.^[11]
• Shah Abdul Karim, minstrel and writer of village songs.^[12]

Entertainers

• Sanjeeb Chowdhury, singer and journalist.^[13]
• Alaur Rahman, singer, Music Director and music teacher.
• Shuvro Dev, playback singer
• Runa Laila, playback singer.
• Subir Nandi, playback singer.
• Syed Ahmed, a British TV personality
  

  Syed Ahmed, a British TV personality
• Salman Shah, film actor.^[14]
• Monica Ali's novel, Brick Lane (2003), explored the British Bangladeshi community in London, who are mostly from Sylhet Division. It was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2003. It was adapted as a film by the same name, released in 2007.

Politicians

• Mukhlesur Rahman Chowdhury, former Minister, De facto President and Prime Minister, former Adviser and Press Secretary to the President of Bangladesh, editor-in-chief of the Bangladesh Worldwide and the Weekly Prekkhit, former President of Overseas Correspondents' Association Bangladesh (OCAB).
• Altaf Husain, first editor of DAWN (newspaper) and Minister for Industries and Natural Resources in the Federal Government of Pakistan.
• General M A G Osmani, Supreme Commander of Mukti Bahini
• Khandakar Abdul Malik. Freedom fighter, Ex-president of Sylhet Chamber & Commerce, three times Member of Parliament in Bangladesh Jatio shangshod, Vice President of BNP, Father of Khandakar Abdul Muktadir.
• Mahmud Ali (Freedom Movement leader, statesman, journalist)
• Abdus Samad Azad former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh
• Humayun Rashid Choudhury Awami League leader and former speaker of National parliament.^[15]
• Shamsher M. Chowdhury, Bangladeshi diplomat and Foreign Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Hansen Clarke, United States Congressman
• Khan Bahadur Ghulam Mustafa Chowdhury (MLC) Zamindar of Bhatipara, Sunamganj, Ex member of the "Council of State" (upper house of British Indian central parliament in Delhi), Ex Legislator of the Assam Legislative Council (upper chamber of the then Assam provincial parliament of British India).
• Santosh Mohan Dev, former cabinet minister Government of India and 7 Time Member of Parliament from Silchar, Assam and Tripura South.
• Dewan Farid Gazi, former minister
• Muhammad Abdul Haque, ex organizing secretary of central BNP and ex president of Sylhet District
• Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran (Mayor of Sylhet since 2003, AL)^[16]
• Shah A M S Kibria, economist, diplomat and politician born in Habiganj. Finance Minister of Bangladesh in 1996–2001, elected Member of Parliament in 2001. Has served as the Executive Secretary of ESCAP in 1981–1992.^[17]
• Abul Maal Abdul Muhith (Bangladesh Awami League).Finance Minister of Bangladesh^[18]
• Nurul Islam Nahid,He is Minister for Education in Bangladesh.
• Bipin Chandra Pal, Indian nationalist, one of the triumvirate of three hard faction patriots of the Congresses - the "Pal" of Lal Bal Pal
• Mohammad Saifur Rahman, longest serving Finance Minister of Bangladesh and standing committee member of BNP^[19]
• Shah Azizur Rahman, Freedom Fighter, Ex-President of Chattraleague of Sylhet Sub-division, Ex-Upazilla Chairman, Ex-MP (Awami League).
• Suranjit Sengupta, MP (Awami League), Chairman of Parliamentary Committee for law, Parliamentary affaires Ministry^[20]
• Lutfur Rahman, the first elected mayor of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets council.
• Mohammed Abdus Salique , Mayor of London Borough of Tower Hamlets (2008–09).

Chief Justices

• Surendra Kumar Sinha, incumbent and 21st Chief Justice of Bangladesh
• J. R. Mudassir Husain, former Chief Justice of People's Republic of Bangladesh.
• Syed A. B. Mahmud Hossain Former Chief Justice of Bangladesh, He was 2nd Chief Justice of People's Republic of Bangladesh.
• Mahmudul Amin Chowdhury, former Chief Justice of Bangladesh.

Saints

• Hazrat Shah Jalal (R) – Muslim saint of Bangladesh, National hero and the pioneer of Sylhet.^[21]
• Hazrat Shah Faran (R) – A renowned Preacher of Islam & saint^[22] of the Jalalia section of the Suhrawardiyya order. It is said that he was the son of a sister of Hazrat Shah Jalal (R). In 1303 AD, He took part in the expedition of Sylhet which was led by Shah Jalal. After the conquest of Sylhet he established a Hujra at Khadim Nagar in Dakshingarh Pargana, about 7 km away from Sylhet town, where he started Campaign of Islam & spiritual practices and activities. He played a significant role in propagating Islam and establishing Muslim rule in the Sylhet region.

Scientists

• Mohammad Ataul Karim, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
• Jamilur Reza Choudhury, a former Adviser (Minister) to Caretaker Government of Bangladesh (April–June, 1996)

Sportsmen

• Tapash Baisya cricketer, Bangladesh Test and ODI cricketer^[23]
• Rani Hamid, Chess master
• Kaiser Hamid, Former footballer for Mohammedan
• Enamul Haque Jr, Bangladesh Test cricketer^[24]
• Nazmul Hossain, Bangladesh Test cricketer^[25]
• Alok Kapali, Bangladesh Test and ODI cricketer^[26]
• Rajin Saleh, Bangladesh Test and ODI cricketer^[27]
• Abul Hasan

Other notable figures

• Iqbal Ahmed, a Bangladesh-born British entrepreneur.
• Ragib Ali, restaurateur, tea estate owner, founder of Raghib-Rabia Hospital and Medical College.
• Tommy Miah, restaurateur and British-Sylheti celebrity chef^[28]
• C. M. Shafi Sami, a former Bangladeshi diplomat and politician.
• Anwar Choudhury, a British diplomat.
• Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, former Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army
• Enam Ali Publisher and Editor, Trade Journal -Spice Business, Founder British Curry Awards
• Mahee Ferdous Jalil is a Bangladeshi-born British businessman, founder of Channel S, owner of Prestige Auto Group and television presenter.

References