List of Bangladeshi people

Listed below are notable people who are either citizens of Bangladesh, born in the region of what is now Bangladesh, or of Bangladeshi origin living abroad (such as British Bangladeshis or Bangladeshi Americans). For brevity, people who fall into more than one category are listed in only one of them. For further information, see Bengali people.

Principals of Bengal's Independence Wars and Movements

British Colonial Period

• Haji Shariatullah, founder of the Faraizi Movement
• Surya Sen
• Pritilata Waddedar
• Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah, first to propose the creation of the All India Muslim League (AIML), later known as the Muslim League
• A. K. Fazlul Huq
• Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy

Martyrs of the Bangla Language Movement 1952

• Abdus Salam
• Abdul Jabbar
• Abul Barkat
• Rafiq Uddin Ahmed and many unknown people.

Bangladesh War of Independence, 1971

• Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
• Tajuddin Ahmed,First Prime Minister of Bangladesh(during liberation war) .
• Syed nazrul Islam,first acting President of Bangladesh Govt(during liberation war) .
• A H M Kamruzzaman.
• Captain(ret) Mansur Ali.
• General Muhammad Ataul Ghani Osmany, Commander-in-Chief, BD Forces, War of Independence.
• Air Vice Marshall A. K. Khandker, Sector Commander
• Major Khaled Musharraf, Commander Sector 2, Commander K-Force
• Major Ziaur Rahman, Sector Commander 1 and 11 (June - Oct 10th 1971) and Z Force Commander
• Squadron Leader M. Hamidullah Khan, Chief Representative - Chakulia(Bihar) Guerilla Trng. Camp, Sub-sector commander - Mankarchar(Sector 11), Commander - Sector 11 (Nov 2nd - Feb 14th 1972)
• Major Nazmul Huq, Commander Sector 7 (till August 1971)
• Major M.A. Manzur, Commander Sector 8
• Major Shafaat Jamil Commanding Officer 3rd East Bengal Regiment Z Force
• Major K.M Shafiullah, S Force Commander
• Major M.A. Jalil, Commander Sector 8
• Major Abu Taher, sub-sector commander - Mahendraganj(HQ 11), Commander Sector 11 (Oct 10th - November 2, 1971)

Arts, culture, and literature

• Abdul Hakim, medieval poet
• Abul Kashem, architect and educationist
• Ahmed Sofa, writer
• Akhteruzzaman Elias, novelist and short story writer
• Alaol, medieval poet
• Abul Hussain, poet
• Al Mahmud, poet
• Arunabh Sarkar, poet
• Begum Rokeya, writer
• Bibi Russell, model and fashion designer
• Hason Raja, mystic poet
• Humayun Ahmed, popular novelist and former professor of Chemistry, Dhaka University
• Humayun Azad, writer and former professor of Bangla, Dhaka University
• Hassan Azizul Haq, short story writer and former professor of Political Science, Rajshahi University
• Jahanara Imam, writer and activist
• Jasimuddin, famous poet
• Kazi Nazrul Islam, national poet of Bangladesh
• Lalon Shah, mystic poet
• Manzoor Alam Beg, photographer and author
• Muhammad Shahidullah, famous Bengali educationist, writer and linguist.
• Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, writer and educator
• Munier Chowdhury, educator, dramatist and intellectual killed in 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh
• Monica Ali, noted author of Brick Lane
• Mazharul Islam, architect, political activist
• Quamrul Hassan, artist
• Rudra Muhammad Shahidullah,poet
• Rafiq Azad, Poet
• Shahidul Alam, photographer
• Shahriyar Kabir, author and journalist
• Shahidullah Kaiser, educator, novelist and intellectual killed in 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh
• Shahabuddin Nagari, poet, writer and singer
• Shamsur Rahman, poet
• Sikdar Aminul Haq, poet
• Syed Jahangir, free-lance artist of Bangladesh
• Syed Mujtaba Ali, renowned Bengali author, academician, scholar and linguist.
• SM Sultan, Painter
• Tahmima Anam, novelist, Harvard graduate, winner of the 2008 Commonwealth Writers' Prize.
• Zainul Abedin, painter
• Zillur Rahman John, mime and pantomime artist

Music, film and television

• Abdur Razzak, actor, director
• Afshan Azad - Actress, cast member of the movie series of Harry Potter
• Asaduzzaman Noor, actor, politician and member of parliament
• Azam Khan, singer
• Ayub Bachchu Singer & Guitarist
• Bobita, film actress
• Humayun Faridi, TV, stage, and film actor
• Khan Ataur Rahman,film director
• Konnie Huq, UK television presenter
• Manna, film actor
• Mumzy Stranger Singer/Producer/Dancer/Rapper
• Mrinal Sen, film director
• Nina Hossain - UK News presenter
• Ritwik Ghatak, film director
• Runa Laila, singer
• Ron Mustafaa, Hollywood TV actor, most recently on MTV Skins
• Sabina Yasmin, singer
• Shakib Khan, film actor
• Shabnam, film actress
• Shahnaz Rahmatullah, singer
• Shefali Chowdhury, She plays Harry Potter's Yule Ball date in Goblet of Fire
• Suchitra Sen, famous Bengali Actress
• Sumita Devi, film and television actress
• Syeda Rubyait Hossain, film director, writer.
• Tanvir Mokammel, film director
• Tareque Masud, film director
• Tasmin Lucia Khan - Entertainment and news presenter for the BBC
• Waheedul Haq, noted Tagore song specialist and veteran Journalist.
• Zahir Raihan, film director.

Economists and entrepreneurs

• Atiur Rahman, economist, Governor of Bangladesh Bank and a former director of the state-owned Sonali Bank
• Iqbal Quadir, co-founder of GrameenPhone.
• Jawed Karim, co-founder of YouTube
• Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, and the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner.
• Rehman Sobhan, eminent economist.
• Mahabubul Mokaddem Akash,economist,Professor at University of Dhaka.
• Sir Fazle Hasan Abed,Founder & Chairperson of the worlds largest international development NGO, BRAC.
• Mahboob Zaman,Founder & Managing Director DataSoft Systems Bangladesh Ltd and President Bangladesh Association of Software & Information Services (BASIS) .

Media and journalism

• Tofazzel Hossain Manik Mia,eminent journalist,founder editor of the Daily Ittefaq
• Bojlur Rahman,journalist.
• Kazi Shamsul Hoque, eminent journalist
• Mahbub Jamal Zahedi, former editor of the Khaleej Times, assistant-editor of Dawn, and founder-editor of The Agatya.
• Mahfuz Anam, editor of the Daily Star.
• Mainul Hosein, chairman of the editorial board of the Daily Ittefaq
• Matiur Rahman, editor of Daily Prothom Alo, winner of Ramon Magsaysay Award for journalism.
• Mukhlesur Rahman Chowdhury, editor of the Weekly Prekkhit
• Salah Choudhury, writer, peace activist and journalist
• Abdus Sabur, journalist, Daily Sangram

Political figures

• Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah - Was first to propose the creation of the All India Muslim League (AIML), later known as the Muslim League
• Hamidul Huq Choudhury, Foreign Minister of Pakistan from 1954 until 1956.
• Muhammad Ali Bogra, Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1953 until 1955
• Khawaja Nazimuddin, second Governor-General of Pakistan, and the second Prime Minister of Pakistan
• Altaf Husain, minister of Commerce and Industry of Pakistan from 1965 to 1968.
• A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury
• A.Q.M. Badruddoza Chowdhury, former President; Leader of Bikalpa Dhara
• Abdus Samad Azad, former Foreign Minister 1996-2001
• Abdul Jolil
• Begum Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister, 1991–1996; 2001–2006
• Golam Azam, Islamist politician, former leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, alleged war criminal for his role in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
• Hussain Mohammed Ershad, CMLA & later President from 1982–1991; Leader of Jatiya Party
• Mahi B. Chowdhury
• Motiya Chowdhury
• Maulana Bhashani, famous politician of '70s
• Moudud Ahmed
• Shahabuddin Ahmed
• Morshed Khan, owner of Citycell and former Foreign Minister
• Mirza Ghulam Hafiz
• Shah Azizur Rahman
• Aminul Islam Chowdhury, politician from Comilla (Member of National Assembly, Pakistan)
• Sheikh Hasina Wazed, Prime Minister, 1996–2001
• Tareq Rahman, former member of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), son of Begum Khaleda Zia and Ziaur Rahman

Heads of Government

See also: List of Presidents of Bangladesh and List of Prime Ministers of Bangladesh

• A. K. Fazlul Huq, presented the Lahore Resolution of 1940 that established Muslim League's demand for a homeland for Muslims, Pakistan
• Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1956 until 1957; founder of Awami League
• Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Chairman of the Awami League 1966-1975, Prime Minister 1972-1975 and President 1972-1975
• Tajuddin Ahmed, (by Appointment and Oath) Prime Minister, 1971–1972
• Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, President, Aug 15th 1975 - Nov 03rd 1975
• Ziaur Rahman, (under National State of Emergency) Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) (Nov 7th 1975 - 1977) & President till Assassination, 1977–1981
• Hussain Mohammed Ershad, by (Military Coup) Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) 1982–1985 and President (1985 - 1990 Dec 6th)
• Begum Khaleda Zia, (elected) Prime Minister; 1991–1996, 2001–2006
• Sheikh Hasina Wazed; (elected) Prime Minister, 1996–2001, 2009–present

Intellectuals

• A.F.Salahuddin Ahmed, eminent historian
• Anu Muhammad
• Rehman Sobhan, economist
• Dr. Kamal Hossain, lawyer and politician, civil-rights activist
• Muzaffar Ahmed, economist
• Nasreen Pervin Huq, women's rights activist
• Munir Chowdhury
• Sardar Fazlul Karim
• Panna Kaiser, author, novelist, member of parliament, wife of Shahidullah Kaiser
• Roquia Sakhawat Hussain, prolific writer, feminist, social worker
• Prof. Syed Modasser Ali, ophthalmologist and pioneer of community ophthalmology in Bangladesh
• M S Khan, librarian and pioneer of library science in Bangladesh

Government Officials and Diplomats

• Akbar Ali Khan, a Bangladeshi economic historian and educationist who was a civil servant until 2001, Finance Ministry Adviser (Minister) of Caretaker government of Bangladesh.
• Ayub Quadri, a retired bureaucrat was an adviser for the ministries of Education and Cultural Affairs to Caretaker government of Bangladesh.
• A. H. M. Moniruzzaman a career diplomat belonging to the Bangladesh Foreign Service, was the head of Bangladesh Mission to the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
• Faizul Latif Chowdhury is a career civil servant from Bangladesh currently Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Government.
• Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, a senior lecturer at the Monash University, a political economist and social scientist and a bureaucrat from Bangladesh.
• Anwar Chowdhury, British High Commissioner to Dhaka, first non-White Briton to hold a senior diplomatic post.

Noted diplomats/heads of major organizations

• Abul Fateh, Professional Diplomat, First Foreign Secretary 1971-1972
• Irene Khan, Current Secretary General of human rights organization Amnesty International; she is the first woman, the first Asian, and the first Muslim to hold the position; she won Sydney Peace Prize 2006

Religious personalities

• Shah Jalal - A Muslim saint of Bengal particularly in the region of Sylhet, Bangladesh.
• Shah Paran - A renowned Muslim Sufi saint. He was the nephew of Hazrat Shah Jalal (R)
• Saheb Qibla Fultali (Abdul Latif Chowdhury) - Islamic scholar of theology, philosopher, spiritual esotericist, philanthropist, spiritual leader.
• Atiśa Dipamkara Shrijnana - Buddhist teacher: Important figure in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and in establishment and was inventor of bodhichitta or known as "mind training"
• Tilopa, Buddhist teacher: Important figure in the Tibetan Buddhist; founder of the Kagyu lineage and progressor of Mahamudra method
• Khan Jahan Ali - considered Muslim saint, built the great Bagerhat Shat Gambuj Masjid (60 dome mosque)
• Sri Anandamoyi Ma - Spiritual Hindu teacher and Guru
• Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji - Hindu Saint

Scientists and engineers

• Jagdish Chandra Bose, pioneered the investigation of radio and microwave optics
• Azizul Haque, pioneered the mathematical formula for Henry Classification System of fingerprinting, sill widely used in the world
• Saleemul Huq, awarded the Burtoni Award for contribution to climate change adaptation.
• Abul Hussam, awarded the 2007 Grainger Challenge Prize for Sustainability
• Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, Scientist and science writer
• Jamal Nazrul Islam - famous physicist and mathematician
• Jawed Karim - co-founder of YouTube
• Fazlur Rahman Khan, one of the foremost structural engineers of the 20th century; pioneer of tube structure and designer of Sears Tower, the tallest building in the USA.
• Nizamuddin 'Leepu' Awila, a car engineer who converts rusty old cars into imitation supercars in his small Dhaka workshop.
• Abdullah Al Muti, scientist and science writer
• M. A. Naser, Pioneer in engineering education in Bangladesh.
• Amal Kumar Raychaudhuri, Physicist: produced the famous Raychaudhuri's equation.
• Prafulla Chandra Roy, Pioneer in the field of pharmaceutical and chemical works (discovered mercurous nitrite)
• Megh Nad Saha, Physicist: Produced the famous equation "Thermo-Ionization Equation" or the Saha Equation
• Maqsudul Alam,A renowned Scientist and Professor, achieved Three milestones in genomics - sequencing the genomes of Papaya, Rubber plants and Jute. Dr. Maqsudul Alam a professor of the University of Hawaii at Manoa .
• SM Faruque, An internationally renowned microbiologist and scientist who is one of the pioneer researcher on Vibrio cholerae which causes Cholera. Cholera affects 3-5 millions people worldwide and causes 100,000-130,000 deaths a year as of 2010.
• Shafkat Chowdhury, A renowned Aerospace Engineer.

Sportspeople

Cricket

• Qazi Habibul Bashar - Cricketer - a former captain of the Bangladeshi cricket team
• Mohammad Ashraful - Cricketer - former captain of the Bangladeshi cricket team
• Tamim Iqbal - Cricketer, aggressive opening batsman
• Mashrafe Mortaza - Cricketer, pace bowler, vice captain of the Bangladeshi cricket team.
• Mohammad Rafique - Cricketer, spin bowler
• Shakib Al Hasan - Cricketer, batsman, spin bowler, present captain of the Bangladeshi cricket team, Wisden cricketer of the year 2009

Football

• Kazi Salahuddin - Footballer: Striker
• Sheikh Aslam - Footballer: striker during the 1980s and 1990s
• Syed Rumman Bin Wali Sabbir Footballer, midfielder
• Sayeed Hassan Kanan Footballer, goalkeeper

Chess

• Niaz Morshed - First Grand Master of Bangladesh (as well as South Asia)
• Rani Hamid - Chess player: was awarded the FIDE Woman International Master (WIM) title in 1985 and won British Women's Championship (1983, 1985, 1989)
• Ziaur Rahman - Grand Master of Bangladesh
• Reefat Bin-Sattar - Grand Master of Bangladesh
• Abdullah Al Rakib - Grand Master of Bangladesh

Swimming

• Brojen Das - Swimmer: first Asian to swim across the English Channel and the first person to cross it four times

Table Tennis

• Zobera Rahman Linu - Table tennis player: Guinness World Record holder