| Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury | |
| Native Name: | সৈয়দা সাজেদা চৌধুরী |
| Native Name Lang: | bn |
| Constituency Mp: | Faridpur-2 |
| Term Start: | 12 February 2008 |
| Term End: | 11 September 2022 |
| Predecessor: | KM Obaidur Rahman |
| Successor: | Shahdab Akbar Chowdhury |
| Term Start1: | 5 March 1991 |
| Term End1: | 4 November 1995 |
| Predecessor1: | Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jewel |
| Successor1: | Abul Hossain Mia |
| Office2: | Minister of Forest and Environment |
| Term Start2: | 23 June 1996 |
| Term End2: | 15 July 2001 |
| Predecessor2: | Akbar Hossain |
| Successor2: | Shajahan Siraj |
| Constituency Mp3: | Reserved Women's Seat–9 |
| Parliament3: | Bangladesh |
| Term Start3: | 7 April 1973 |
| Term End3: | 6 November 1975 |
| Predecessor3: | Position created |
| Birth Date: | 8 May 1935 |
| Birth Name: | Syeda Sajeda |
| Birth Place: | Magura, Bengal Presidency, British India |
| Death Place: | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Occupation: | Politician |
| Party: | Bangladesh Awami League |
| Spouse: | Golam Akbar Chowdhury |
| Nationality: | Bangladeshi |
| Children: | Shahdab Akbar Chowdhury (son) |
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]