| Sheikh family শেখ পরিবার | |
| Caption: | Residence of Sheikh family in Tungipara, Gopalganj (Beside Mausoleum of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) |
| Region: | Bangladesh United Kingdom United States |
| Origin: | Baghdad, Iraq[1] |
| Founded: | Early 18th Century |
| Founder: | Sheikh Abdul Awal |
| Members: | See below |
| Distinctions: | Political prominence within the Bangladesh Awami League, Labour Party (UK) and Bangladesh Jatiya Party |
| Estate: | Tungipara Sheikh Bari |
The Sheikh family (Bengali: শেখ পরিবার|śēkha paribāra) of Tungipara is one of the two most prominent Bangladeshi political families, other being the Zia family. The family primarily consists of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana and their relatives.[2] Their political involvement has traditionally revolved around the Bangladesh Awami League.[3] [4] [5] [6]
The first member of the Tungipara Sheikh family to come to Bengal was Sheikh Abdul Awal Darwish. Sheikh Abdul Awal was born in a suburb of Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. During the early eighteenth century, Sheikh Abdul Awal had travelled to Chittagong to pursue business and to promote Islam in the region of Bengal, similar to that of the founders of other Sheikh families of Bengal. Sheikh Abdul Awal had preached in Chittagong for many years, until he went to Sonargaon for business and started preaching there. He married into the Khandakar family of Kandirpar, Faridpur, later his son Sheikh Zahiruddin also married into this family. Many years later, Sheikh Zahiruddin moved to Kolkata with his son Sheikh Jan Mahmud, since their wholesale business was based there. Sheikh Jan Mahmud's son, Sheikh Borhanuddin, continued to run that wholesale business and eventually shifted back to East Bengal.
He married a girl from the Kazi family of Tungipara and permanently settled there. The Tungipara Sheikh family are related to a Sheikh family of Kolkata, a member of that family being Sheikh Assimuddin, the Kandirpar Sheikh family and a Sheikh family in Sonargaon as a result of these relocations.[7] Sheikh Borhanuddin had a son named Sheikh Ekramullah, who in turn had two sons: Sheikh Wasimuddin and Sheikh Mohammad Zakir. Sheikh Mohammad Zakir had three sons: Sheikh Abdul Majid, Sheikh Abdul Hamid, and Sheikh Abdul Rashid. Sheikh Abdul Hamid was the father of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman while his wife, Sayera Khatun, was the daughter of his father's brother, Sheikh Abdul Majid. Their son was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who married his third-cousin Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, great-granddaughter of Sheikh Wasimuddin (his great-grandfather Sheikh Zakir's brother). Sheikh Mujib and Begum Mujib's daughter, Sheikh Hasina, married M. A. Wazed in 1968.[8]
Son of Sheikh Mosharraf Hossain and second-cousin of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He founded the Fareast International University in Dhaka.[10] His only daughter, Rumpa Kabir, is married to Anindya Bhuiyan, son of Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan (former BNP secretary-general).
Son of Sheikh Mohammad Musa & Sheikh Zinnatunessa Begum, nephew of both Sheikh Mujib & Begum Mujib, and first-cousin of Sheikh Hasina. He served as the Minister for Education, Public Works, Youth and Sports from 1984 to 1990 and is a former member of parliament from Madaripur-3.
Son of Sheikh Habibur Rahman, youngest brother of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman. He was a first-cousin of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and uncle of Sheikh Hasina. He served as a member of parliament from Narail-2 and is a member of the Workers Party of Bangladesh. His wife, Sheikh Anne Rahman, was a member of parliament from a women's reserved seat. Her father was politician Enayet Hossain Khan.
He was also known as Nuru Mia. He was elected to the Pakistan parliament in the 1970 Pakistani general election. He was accused of being a collaborator of the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Later he was elected to the first Jatiya Sangsad in the 1973 Bangladeshi general election. One of the early ancestors of the Sheikh family, Sheikh Zahiruddin, married a woman from the Khandakar family of Kandirpar, Faridpur. He was a distant cousin of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and grandfather-in-law of Saima Wazed. His brother, Hiru Mia, was married to the sister of Syeda Iqbal Mand Banu, mother-in-law of Tarique Rahman (son of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia).
Son of Nuru Mia, former minister and member of parliament from Faridpur. His son, Khandakar Masrur Hossain, was married to Saima Wazed, daughter of Sheikh Hasina.
Son-in-law of Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and former member of parliament from Sirajganj-2.
Senior Awami League politician and former member of parliament from Faridpur-4. One of the early ancestors of the Sheikh family, Sheikh Borhanuddin, married a woman from the Kazi family of Tungipara, making them cousins of the Sheikhs. His father, Kazi Mahbubullah, was a cousin and close friend of Sheikh Mujib, while Zafarullah himself was a cousin and close friend of Sheikh Kamal. He is married to Nilufer Zafarullah, chairman of Midland Bank Limited and former member of parliament from Faridpur-4.
He was married to a cousin of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He served as the Chief of Army Staff from December 1997 to December 2000. General Rahman was one of the people involved in the Mig-29 corruption scandal, which also included his niece Sheikh Hasina.
Former president of Jubo League, former secretary-general of Chhatra League, and senior Awami League politician. He is a nephew of Abdur Rab Serniabat (brother-in-law of Sheikh Mujib) and cousin of Abul Hasanat Abdullah.
Senior Awami League politician and member of parliament from Jhalokati-2. He was married to Feroza Hossain (d. 2007), a cousin of Sheikh Mujib, making him an uncle to Sheikh Hasina and brother-in-law to Sheikh Mujib.
Maternal aunt of Shafique Ahmed Siddique (husband of Sheikh Rehana). She was the president of the Bangladesh Mohila Awami League. She was married to former president of Bangladesh Zillur Rahman with whom she had a son, Nazmul Hassan Papon. She died in the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack while protecting Sheikh Hasina.
First-cousin of Shafique Ahmed Siddique and brother-in-law of Sheikh Rehana. He is a member of parliament from Kishoreganj-6 and president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board. He is married to the daughter of businessman Hashem Ali from the Ali family of Chittagong (founders of Hotel Agrabad).
He served as a member of parliament and APS to Sheikh Hasina. His paternal grandmother was a sister of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman, making Sheikh Mujib his uncle and Sheikh Hasina his second-cousin.
Former information and cultural affairs minister of Bangladesh. His wife is the sister of Sheikh Selim's wife.
Bangladeshi businessman and alleged arms dealer. His daughter, Nancy, is married to Sheikh Fazle Fahim, son of Sheikh Selim.
Former minister and BNP leader. His daughter, Sarah, is married to Sheikh Nayem, son of Sheikh Selim. His close friend was Sheikh Kamal.
Senior Awami League leader and former Special Assistant to Sheikh Hasina. His older brother was married to the sister of Abul Hasanat Abdullah (first-cousin of Sheikh Hasina).