List of Bangladeshi people

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

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. For brevity, people who fall into more than one category are listed in only one of them. For further information, see Bangladeshi people.

Principals of Bengal's Independence Wars and Movements

British colonial period

• Mohammad Ali Bogra, Prime Minister of Pakistan (1953-1955)
• Nawaab Syed Shamsul Huda, first Indian Muslim president of the reformed legislative council of the undivided Bengal in 1921
• A. K. Fazlul Huq, Prime Minister of Bengal (1937-1943), Chief Minister of East Bengal (1954-1955) and Governor of East Pakistan (1956)
• Nawab Abdul Latif, educator and social worker
• Khwaja Salimullah, first to propose the creation of the All India Muslim League (AIML), later known as the Muslim League
• Surya Sen, revolutionary and leader of Indian independence movement, known for leading Chittagong armoury raid
• Haji Shariatullah, founder of the Faraizi Movement
• Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, the last Prime Minister of Bengal (1946-1947), later Prime Minister of Pakistan (1956-1957)
• Pritilata Waddedar, activist of the Indian independence movement

Martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement 1952

• Rafiq Uddin Ahmed
• Abul Barkat
• Abdul Jabbar
• Abdus Salam
• Motiur Rahman

Bangladesh War of Independence, 1971

• Tajuddin Ahmed, first Prime Minister of Bangladesh, War of Independence
• Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani
• Major Nazmul Huq, Commander Sector 7 (till August 1971)
• Squadron Leader M. Hamidullah Khan, Bangladesh Government Chief Representative - Chakulia (Bihar) Guerilla Trng. Camp, BDF Sub-sector commander - Mankarchar (Sector 11), BDF Commander - Sector 11 (November 2–February 14, 1972)
• Major M.A. Manzur, Commander Sector 8
• Major Khaled Musharraf, BDF Commander Sector 2, Commander K-Force
• Colonel-in-Chief Muhammad Ataul Ghani Osmany, Commander-in-Chief, Bangladesh Forces, War of Independence, 1971. (Later promoted to General)
• Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
• Major Ziaur Rahman, Declarer War of Independence of Bangladesh on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, 27 March 1971. BDF Sector Commander Sector 1(April~May) and Central Sector - Sector 11 (June – October 10, 1971) and Z-Force Commander.
• Major K.M Shafiullah, S Force Commander
• Major Abu Taher, sub-sector commander - Mahendraganj (HQ 11), Interim Commander Sector 11 (October 10–November 2, 1971)

Scientists, engineers and science educators

• Maqsudul Alam, scientist and professor, achieved three milestones in genomics - sequencing the genomes of papaya, rubber plants and jute
• Mir Masoom Ali, emeritus professor of statistics
• Abdullah Al Muti, scientist and science writer
• Nizamuddin 'Leepu' Awila, car engineer
• Amit Chakma, tenth president of the University of Western Ontario
• Abed Chaudhury, scientist living in Australia, born in Moulavibazar. Renowned for getting the Bangladeshi rice variety kasalath recognized by IRRI. The variety was first claimed to be of Indian origin.^[1]
• SM Faruque, microbiologist and scientist, researcher on Vibrio cholerae which causes Cholera
• Azizul Haque, pioneered the mathematical formula for Henry Classification System of fingerprinting
• Khandkar Manwar Hossain, statistician and founder of the Department of Statistics in Rajshahi University
• Saleemul Huq, awarded the Burtoni Award for contribution to climate change adaptation
• A. K. M. Fazle Hussain, director of the Institute of Fluid Dynamics & Turbulence at the University of Houston
• Abul Hussam, awarded the 2007 Grainger Challenge Prize for Sustainability
• Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, scientist and science writer
• Jamal Nazrul Islam, physicist and mathematician
• Jawed Karim, co-creater of YouTube and designed anti fraud system of PayPal
• Mohammad Ataul Karim, Bangladeshi American scientist
• Fazlur Rahman Khan, structural engineer and architect
• Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy
• M. A. Naser, pioneer in engineering education in Bangladesh
• Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda, Bangladeshi scientist, educationist and writer
• Khondkar Siddique-e-Rabbani, biomedical physicist

Arts, culture, and literature

• Zainul Abedin, painter
• Humayun Ahmed, novelist and former professor of Chemistry, Dhaka University
• Tofail Ahmed, author and researcher of Folk Art
• Shahidul Alam, photographer
• Alaol, medieval poet
• Monica Ali, author of Brick Lane
• Syed Mujtaba Ali, Bengali author, academician, scholar and linguist
• Tahmima Anam, novelist and winner of the 2008 Commonwealth Writers' Prize
• Rashid Askari, writer, fictionist, columnist, and academic
• Humayun Azad, writer and former professor of Bengali, Dhaka University
• Rafiq Azad, poet
• Manzoor Alam Beg, photographer and author
• Munier Chowdhury, educator, dramatist and intellectual killed in 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh
• Akhteruzzaman Elias, novelist and short story writer
• Abdul Hakim, medieval poet
• Sikdar Aminul Haq, poet
• Quamrul Hassan, artist
• Khondakar Ashraf Hossain, poet, essayist, translator and editor
• Abul Hussain, poet
• Jahanara Imam, writer and activist
• Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, writer and educator
• Kazi Nazrul Islam, national poet of Bangladesh
• Mazharul Islam, architect, political activist
• Syed Jahangir, free-lance artist of Bangladesh
• Jasimuddin, poet
• Zillur Rahman John, mime and pantomime artist
• Shahriyar Kabir, author and journalist
• Shahidullah Kaiser, educator, novelist and intellectual killed in 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh
• Abul Kashem, architect and educationist
• Lalon Shah, mystic poet
• Al Mahmud, poet
• Firoz Mahmud, contemporary visual artist, creator, painter
• Partha Pratim Majumder, Bangladeshi mime artist who is considered the "forerunner" of mime art in Bangladesh
• Shahabuddin Nagari, poet, writer and singer
• Shamsur Rahman, poet
• Hason Raja, mystic poet
• Begum Rokeya, writer
• Bibi Russell, model and fashion designer
• Arunabh Sarkar, poet
• Muhammad Shahidullah, Bengali educationist, writer and linguist
• Rudra Muhammad Shahidullah, poet
• Ahmed Sofa, writer
• SM Sultan, Painter
• Ahmed Sharif, Writer of Bengali Literature, Secularist
• Nirmalendu Goon, Poet

Social Reformers and Leaders

• Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of BRAC
• Ali Ehsan, founder of ThinkersWeb Foundation
• Hazi Mohammad Mohsin, philanthropist
• Korvi Rakshand, founder of JAAGO Foundation
• Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, and the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner

Music, film and television

• Arianna Afsar, American model and actress, appeared on American Idol
• Kamal Ahmed, American comedian, part of the Jerky Boys duo
• Montazur Rahman Akbar, film director, producer
• Afshan Azad, actress, cast member of the movie series of Harry Potter
• Asif Azim, Bangladeshi male model, appeared in Bigg Boss 7
• Ayub Bachchu, singer & guitarist
• Bobita, film actress
• Shefali Chowdhury, played Harry Potter's Yule Ball date in Goblet of Fire
• Sumita Devi, film and television actress
• Farzana Dua Elahe, British actress and DJ
• Abdul "Duke" Fakir, American singer of Ethiopian and Bangladeshi descent, member of the Four Tops
• Humayun Faridi, TV, stage, and film actor
• Waheedul Haq, Tagore song specialist and journalist
• Arman ul Haque, music composer, and creator of Bengali Talking Tom Talking Tom
• Zahid Hasan, actor and director
• Nina Hossain, UK News presenter
• Menhaj Huda, British director best known for Kidulthood
• Konnie Huq, UK television presenter
• Rahsaan Islam, American actor of Bangladeshi descent
• Jayasree Kabir, actress
• Mosharraf Karim, actor
• Azam Khan, singer
• Shakib Khan, film actor, producer
• Tasmin Lucia Khan, entertainment and news presenter for the BBC
• Runa Laila, singer
• Manna, film actor
• Tareque Masud, film director
• Ellis Miah, American music producer of Caribbean and Bangladeshi descent
• Jernade Miah, British singer and dancer, works with 2point9 Records
• Paromita Mitra, American model and actress
• Tanvir Mokammel, film director
• Ron Mustafaa, Hollywood TV actor, most recently on MTV Skins
• Asaduzzaman Noor, actor, politician and member of parliament
• Alvin Soura Pandey, audio engineer, music composer, introduced HD surround audio in Bangladesh
• Shomi Patwary, designer and director
• Aamer Rahman, Saudi Arabian born, Australian comedian of Bangladeshi descent. Part of the comedy duo Fear of a Brown Planet
• Khan Ataur Rahman, film director
• Rezaur Rahman, producer of the television program "Ain Adalat", barrister & solicitor, Human Rights activist
• Shahnaz Rahmatullah, singer
• Zahir Raihan, film director
• Abdur Razzak, actor, director
• Rola (model), Half Bangladeshi, quarter Russian, quarter Japanese fashion model
• Salique, British singer and fitness model
• Shabnam, film actress
• Dino Shafeek, British actor known for Mind your language
• Ali Shahalom, British YouTuber and comedian
• Bilal Shahid, British singer
• Mumzy Stranger, singer, producer, dancer, rapper
• Jan Uddin, British Bangladeshi model and actor known for SweetBoy in Shank, Ibn Idriss in Black Gold and Jalil Iqbal in Eastenders
• Sabina Yasmin, singer
• Imrul Kader Actor, Singer

Economists

• Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, economist and development thinker, Chairman of Dhaka School of Economics
• Muzaffar Ahmed, economist and an emeritus professor at the Institute of Business Administration of the University of Dhaka
• Debapriya Bhattacharya economist and Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue CPD
• Atiur Rahman, economist, Governor of Bangladesh Bank and a former director of the state-owned Sonali Bank
• Rehman Sobhan, economist
• Abul Barkat, economist, former Chairman of state-owned Janata Bank and former Chairperson of Department of Economics, Dhaka University

Entrepreneurs

• Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder & chairperson of the world's largest international development NGO, BRAC
• Samson H. Chowdhury, chairman of Astras Ltd. and Square (Bangladesh)^[2]
• Syed Manzur Elahi, founder of Apex Group^[3]
• Ananta Jalil, chairman of AJ Group (Bangladesh)^[4]
• Jawed Karim, co-founder of YouTube
• Abdul Awal Mintoo, former president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI)
• Iqbal Quadir, co-founder of GrameenPhone
• Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, chairman of the business conglomerate "Bashundhara Group"^[5]

Media and journalism

• Mahfuz Anam, editor of the Daily Star
• Mukhlesur Rahman Chowdhury, former adviser to the President of Bangladesh
• Salah Choudhury, writer, peace activist and journalist
• Lenin Gani, journalist, winner of the Best Sports Report in 2001 by Dhaka Reporters Unity
• Kaberi Gayen, prominent academic, author, columnist for The Daily Star
• Kazi Shamsul Hoque, journalist
• 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
• Shykh Seraj, director of News Channel i, Agriculture Development activist, winner of FAO A.H. Boerma Award, Ekushey Padak, etc.
• Mahbub Jamal Zahedi, former editor of the Khaleej Times, assistant-editor of Dawn, and founder-editor of The Agatya

Political figures

• Abul Mansur Ahmed, politician from Mymensingh
• Moudud Ahmed, barrister, politician and statesman
• Oli Ahmed ( Bir Bikram), President of the Liberal Democratic Party (Bangladesh) 2006–present, former Minister (various portfolios in multiple cabinets). Valiant & decorated Freedom Fighter. One of the main founders of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
• Shahabuddin Ahmed, former president
• Tajuddin Ahmed, first Prime Minister of Bangladesh
• Abdus Samad Azad, former Foreign Minister 1996–2001
• Ghulam Azam, Islamist politician, former leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, accused of war crimes for his role in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
• Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, founder of Bangladesh Awami League , National Awami Party
• Muhammad Ali Bogra, Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1953 until 1955
• Fazlul Qadir Chaudhry, Acting President of Pakistan, Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, President of Muslim League, accused of war crimes for his role in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
• Hamidul Huq Choudhury, Foreign Minister of Pakistan from 1954 until 1956
• A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury, mayor of Chittagong, member of the Chowdhury Family
• A.Q.M. Badruddoza Chowdhury, former President, Leader of Bikalpa Dhara
• Motiya Chowdhury, member of Parliament, former Minister of Agriculture
• Saber Hossain Chowdhury, member of Parliament
• Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, former Minister, accused of war crimes for his role in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, son of Fazlul Qadir Chaudhry
• Hussain Mohammed Ershad, CMLA & later President from 1982 to 1991; Leader of Jatiya Party
• Mirza Ghulam Hafiz, politician and minister
• Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister, 1996–2001, 2009–present
• A. K. Fazlul Huq, Chief Minister of East Bengal, Governor of East Pakistan
• Altaf Husain, minister of Commerce and Industry of Pakistan from 1965 to 1968
• Abdul Jolil, politician and Minister
• Morshed Khan, former Foreign Minister
• Khawaja Nazimuddin, second Governor-General of Pakistan, and the second Prime Minister of Pakistan
• Shah Azizur Rahman, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh
• Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh
• Tareq Rahman, Senior vice president of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), son of Begum Khaleda Zia and Ziaur Rahman
• Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah - Was first to propose the creation of the All India Muslim League
• Suranjit Sengupta, politician and minister
• Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Prime Minister of Pakistan, 1956–1957
• Begum Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister, 1991–1996; 2001–2006

Photographers

• GMB Akash
• Shahidul Alam
• Kazi Riasat Alve
• Manzoor Alam Beg
• Anwar Hossain
• Sarker Protick
• Munem Wasif

Heads of Government

• Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, President, August 15, 1975–November 3, 1975
• Tajuddin Ahmed, (by Appointment and Oath) Prime Minister, 1971–1972
• Hussain Mohammed Ershad, by (India supported Military Coup) Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) 1982–1985 and self declared President (1985–1990 December 6)
• Sheikh Hasina; (elected) Prime Minister, 1996–2001, 2009–13
• A. K. Fazlul Huq, presented the Lahore Resolution of 1940 that established Muslim League's demand for a homeland for Muslims, Pakistan
• Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Chairman of the Awami League 1966–1974 and Prime Minister 1972~1974, Chairman of BAKSAL and President January 1975–August 15, 1975
• Ziaur Rahman, Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) (under National State of Emergency) (November 7, 1975–1977) & President, 1977–1981 (Assassinated May 30)
• Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Prime Minister of Pakistan 1956–1957; founder of Awami League
• Begum Khaleda Zia, (elected) Prime Minister; 1991–1996, 1996–1996 & 2001–2006

Intellectuals

• A.F.Salahuddin Ahmed, historian
• Muzaffar Ahmed, economist
• Prof. Syed Modasser Ali, ophthalmologist
• Munir Chowdhury, educationist
• Dr. Kamal Hossain, lawyer and politician, civil-rights activist
• Nasreen Pervin Huq, women's rights activist
• Roquia Sakhawat Hussain, prolific writer, feminist, social worker
• Muhammed Abdul Muid Khan, nominated as the Best Human Rights Lawyer of England and Wales in 2012
• M S Khan, librarian and pioneer of library science in Bangladesh
• Anu Muhammad, economist
• Rehman Sobhan, economist

Government Officials and Diplomats

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

Noted diplomats/heads of major organizations

• Abul Fateh, professional diplomat, first Foreign Secretary 1971–1972
• Chandra Kalindi Roy Henriksen, Chief Secretary of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
• M Sakhawat Hossain, former Election Commissioner of Bangladesh (2007-2012), Brigadier General (retd) Bangladesh Army, writer, author of more than 20 books, columnist, speaker, freelance commentator on national & international TV channels, security and defense analyst
• 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 the Sydney Peace Prize 2006

Religious personalities

• Muhammad Asadullah Al-Ghalib - Reformist Islamic Scholar of modern era
• Khan Jahan Ali - considered Muslim saint, built the great Bagerhat Shat Gambuj Masjid (60 dome mosque)
• Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji - Hindu Saint
• Shah Jalal - A Muslim saint of Bengal particularly in the region of Sylhet, Bangladesh
• Shah Paran - A Muslim Sufi saint. He was the nephew of Hazrat Shah Jalal (R)
• 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

Sportspeople

Archery

• Emdadul Haque Milon, archer

Chess

• Abdullah Al Rakib, Bangladeshi Grandmaster
• Reefat Bin-Sattar, Bangladeshi Grandmaster
• Rani Hamid, chess player: was awarded the FIDE Woman International Master (WIM) title in 1985 and won British Women's Championship (1983, 1985, 1989)
• Enamul Hossain, Bangladeshi Grandmaster
• Niaz Morshed, first Bangladeshi Grandmaster (as well as South Asia)
• Ziaur Rahman, Bangladeshi Grandmaster

Football

• Alfaz Ahmed, Sylheti footballer
• Shahed Ahmed, British footballer
• Toklis Ahmed
• Shahidul Alam
• Jahid Hasan Ameli
• Sheikh Aslam, footballer: striker during the 1980s and 1990s
• Jamal Bhuyan, Danish footballer of Bangladeshi descent
• Hemanta Vincent Biswas, first Bangladeshi footballer to get a trial at a top European club, he is a Bangladeshi Christian
• Mithun Chowdhury
• Nasiruddin Chowdhury
• Kaiser Hamid, Sylheti, footballer, son of Rani Hamid (retired)
• Raihan Hasan
• Aminul Hoque, goalkeeper
• Mohammed Monwar Hossain
• Mohamed Zahid Hossain
• Mamunul Islam
• Mohammed Ariful Islam
• Sayeed Hassan Kanan, goalkeeper
• Rezaul Karim
• Mamun Khan
• Abdul Baten Mojumdar Komol
• Ashraf Mahmud Linkon
• Russel Mahmud Liton
• Atiqur Rahman Meshu
• Mohd Mamun Miah, Sylheti footballer
• Sheikh Mohamed Mintu
• Nasirul Islam Nasir
• Shakhawat Hossain Rony
• Syed Rumman Bin Wali Sabbir
• Kazi Salahuddin
• Saiful Bari Titu
• Anwar Uddin, British footballer

Golf

• Siddikur Rahman, Bangladeshi professional golfer who plays on the Asian Tour.

Gymnastics

• Syque Caesar, artistic gymnast, member of the Michigan Wolverines
• Margarita Mamun, rhythmic gymnast, of Russian and Bangladeshi descent

Hockey

Mamunur Rahman Chayan

Kabaddi

• Kazi Yunus Ahmed
• Razu Ahmed
• Hena Akhter
• Rupali Akhter
• Kazi Shahin Ara
• Farzana Akhter Baby
• Juni Chakma, of Chakma descent
• Mohammed Mozammal Haque
• Kamal Hossain
• Mosharrof Hossain
• Abul Kalam
• Shahnaz Parvin Maleka
• Badsha Miah, Sylheti descent
• Kochi Rani Mondal
• Abu Salah Musa
• Ismat Ara Nishi
• Fatema Akhter Poly
• Md Mizanur Rahman
• Ziaur Rahman
• Bozlur Rashid
• Sharmin Sultana Rima
• Md Abdur Rouf
• Dolly Shefali

Martial Arts

• Riaz Amin, youngest British WEKAF (World Eskrima/Kali/Arnis Federation) world champion, practises Shotokan Karate and Filipino Martial Arts
• Ruqsana Begum, first British woman in kickboxing to be Asian, Bangladeshi and Muslim, she practises Muay Thai
• Ali Jacko, British World Champion Lightweight Kickboxer, Black belt in Jujitsu, Wushu and Chinese Boxing
• Masum Parvez Rubel, Karate practitioner
• Mak Yuree, founder of Butthan, Vajrapran and Combat Self-Defense, holds 4 world records

Mountaineering

• Mohammad Khaled Hossain
• Musa Ibrahim
• Wasfia Nazreen, also social activist

Shooter

• Imam Hossain
• Asif Hossain Khan, Gold and Silver Medalist in the Commonwealth Games.
• Sharmin Ratna

Sprinter

• Mohamed Abu Abdullah, personal best 11.07
• Masbah Ahmmed, 100m sprinter
• Mohan Khan, personal best 11.25
• Beauty Nazmun Nahar, personal best 12.52

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; (16 times national champion, Guinness World Record holder)

See also

• List of Bengalis
• List of Bangladeshi Americans
• List of British Bangladeshis
• List of Bangladeshi actors
• List of Bangladeshi architects
• List of Bangladeshi painters
• List of Bangladeshi poets
• List of Bangladeshi writers
• List of Bangladesh Test cricketers
• List of Bangladesh-related topics

References

1. http://irri.org/blogs/fresh-hot-rice-science/origin-of-the-rice-variety-kasalath
2. Square Group
3. http://www.thedailystar.net/suppliments/2010/04/bba_2009/roll.htm
4. AJ Group
5. "Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, Chairman of Bashundhara Group". Bashundhara Group's Official Website.