Mosharraf Hossain (politician)
Mosharraf Hossain (born 12 January 1943) is a Bangladeshi politician. He became the Member of Parliament for Chittagong-1 in a September 1996 by-election. After failing to win re-election in 2001, he was re-elected in 2008, 2014, and 2018.[1] He is a Presidium member of the Bangladesh Awami League currently and was the President of its Chittagong North District unit before. After his graduation from University of Engineering and Technology (Lahore) in 1966 he joined politics and was elected as a Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) of what was then East Pakistan in 1970. He was also the member of Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh. After the independence of Bangladesh, he was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) in 1973, 1986 and 1996. After the 1996 election, he served the country as Minister of two portfolios: Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism; and Ministry Public Works and Housing.[2]
Mosharraf Hossain | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Mosharraf Hossain in 2016 | |
| Ministry of Housing and Public Works | |
| In office 2014–2018 | |
| Succeeded by | Rezaul Karim Hira |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 January 1943 Chittagong, East Bengal (now Bangladesh) |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Political party | Bangladesh Awami League |
| Spouse(s) | Ayesha Sultana |
| Children | Three sons and one daughter |
| Occupation | Politician, Engineer |
Early life
Mosharraf was born in Dhoom, Mirsharai Upazila, Chittagong, Bangladesh. His father, S. Rahman was a Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) of Pakistan (1960s) and a businessman. S. Rahman started his business in Kolkata in 1944 and moved to Chittagong after the Partition of Bengal in 1947. In Chittagong he founded Orient Builders Corporation, an infrastructure development company and Hotel Sayeman in Cox's Bazar in 1964. Mosharraf's Mother, Panjubunnesa was a social worker and a devotee to women's education. She established the Panjubunnesa Girls' School in Goloker Hut.
After his graduation from University of Engineering and Technology, he returned to Chittagong and was married to Ayesha Sultana in 1967. Mosharraf has three sons and a daughter.
Career
He studied at his village school in the early years. When his family moved to the Port City of Chittagong, he enrolled at Chittagong Collegiate School and completed his matriculation. Next, Mosharraf enrolled into Sir Ashutosh College and passed his Higher Secondary Certification Exam. In 1962, he enrolled in the department of Mining Engineering at University of Engineering and Technology (Lahore) and completed his BSc in 1966. He staged several processions and movement for the six-point demand in Lahore. In 1965 he was appointed President of East Pakistan Student Association in light of justifying the six-point demand of then East Pakistan.
He was elected as the Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) for the first time in 1970 from Mirsharai. After the liberation war, he was re-elected as the Member of Parliament in 1973. Successively, due to his honesty, integrity and sincere love for the people of Mirsharai he was re-elected in 1986 and in 1996 as the MP. After 1986 Election he was appointed as the opposition party Whip in the National Assembly. After the 1996 election, under the Awami League run Government, he managed the Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism and the Ministry of Public Works and Housing with utmost honesty and efficiency in the capacity of full cabinet Minister. In addition to his post as the President of Chittagong North District Awami League, he has been appointed as the member of Central Working Committee of AL.
Bangladesh Liberation War
In 1971 Mosharraf directly participated in the great Liberation War of Bangladesh as a valiant Freedom Fighter (Mukti Bahini). He is one of the very few members of parliament who participated in Liberation War as a Freedom Fighter at that time. During the Liberation War he was engaged as the commander of the sub-sector under sector No 1. On the violent night of 25 March 1971, when Pakistani soldiers of 25 Brigade marched towards Chittagong from Comilla Cantonment with tanks and artilleries committing atrocities on their way, Mosharraf, upon receiving this information took his comrades and destroyed the Shubhopur Bridge by setting it ablaze so that 25 Brigade of Pakistan could not enter Chittagong. Later Mosharraf took CNC special training from India and entered the country and conducted more successful operations against Pakistani Army. He was nearly killed while on mission to destroy Eastern Refinery and while conducting some other important operations in Chittagong.
Business
In 1983, Mosharraf founded GasMin Limited "GasMin Limited" an ISO 9001:2000 certified Construction and Engineering Firm primarily providing services in the energy sector development in Bangladesh. He further expanded the Hotel Sayeman which was first built by his father in 1964 into a 75-room resort with swimming pool and other modern amenities. To develop the tourism and investment atmosphere in the port city of Chittagong, he further went into development of a long-awaited Four Star Hotel, The Peninsula Chittagong, under joint venture investment from the United States on his family owned land in GEC Circle of Chittagong.
Cabinet Minister
After the general election in 1996, Mosharraf was made the Minister of Civil Aviation & Tourism. In 2014 he was made Minister of Public Works & Housing under the Awami League government.[3]
References
- "List of 11th Parliament Members". Bangladesh Parliament. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- "Cabinet of Bangladesh Government 1996 to 2001" Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- "Minister for Housing and Public Works Engineer Mosharraf Hossain - Business - observerbd.com". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 25 July 2018.