2008 Parliamentary election and the in laws of the Nawab Family

                              An election special feature by Anas Khwaja

Rashed Khan Menon

Family Tree: http://gupshup1.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=gupshup1&view=0&pid=1695&rand=91611361 Brother in law of Syed Iqbal Hussain Shahbazi

Political career: Son of former Pakistan National Assembly speaker Abdul Jabbar Khan and president Bangladesh Workers Party.

Past parliamentary election results from Barisal 4:

1991- Elected by securing 33% of the vote; 1996- Ranked 4^th securing 12% vote, winner was Golam Faruque(Ovi) of Jatiya Party with 28% of vote; 2001 Ranked 5^th securing 5% vote, winner was Syed Moazzem Hossain Jalal of Bangladesh Nationalist Party & Alliance with 38% of vote.

2008 Constituency: Dhaka 8

Possible Opponents: Ex MP’s from AL who failed to secure nomination Haji Mohammad Salim and , Dr.Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Nasir Uddin Ahmmed Pintu (BNP) , Abul Hasnat (BNP).

Election 2008: Menon’s book ‘Bibidho Prosango’ was published in February.The road stretching from Bangla Motors crossing to Moghbazar crossing has recently been renamed ‘Rashed Khan Menon Road’ in recognition of his contribution to the country. Though politically active, it has been 17 years since political stalwart Rashed Khan won an election. As his local Bairshal constituency map was redrawn, he is chartering previously untested political water of the Dhaka 8. Strong wave of AL might land him in the safe shore.

Alhaj S A Khaleq & son Shaju

Family Tree: 

http://gupshup1.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=gupshup1&view=18&pid=1681&rand=646641331 Son in law of Syed Dildar Hossain and husband of Syeda Noshad Bachi

Political career: Deputy Mayor Dhaka Municipal Corporation, Jatiya Party, BNP

Past parliamentary election result from Dhaka 10/11: Elected in 2001 by securing 52% of the vote with the ticket of Bangladesh Nationalist Party & Alliance.

2008 Constituency: Dhaka 13 (under redrawn map)

Possible Opponents: Kamal Ahmed Mazumder of (AL), Ekhlas Uddin Mollah (BNP), Harun Rashid Mollah (BNP), Md. Taiabur Rahman (JP), Dr. Kamal Hossain (Gonotontri Party)

Election 2008: It is likely that Alhaj S A Khaleq will end his long political career and let his son whom he groomed to be his successor Abu Bakar Siddique Shaju fills in the gap. It won’t be surprising if Shaju secures a ticket from BNP.

Alhajj Giasuddin Ahmed

Family Tree:

http://gupshup1.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?pid=651&userid=gupshup1&view=18  

Son in law of Khwaja Ashraf Alam and husband of Reshma Begum

Political career: Freedom fighter, 1973 elected chairman of Siddhirganj Union, 1979 Ran and lost parliamentary election with AL ticket, 1984 Elected upazila chairman with JP ticket, 1996 Elected Senior co president of Krishak League,  Bangladesh Krishok League, Jatiya party, 2001 Elected parliamentary seat with BNP ticket.

Past parliamentary election result from Narayanganj 4 (Fatullah Siddhirganj): Elected in 2001 by securing 54% of the vote with the ticket of Bangladesh Nationalist Party & Alliance.

Possible Opponents: Kabori Sarwar (AL), ex MP A.K.M. Shamim Osman (did not get nomination from AL), Ashraf Uddin Ahmmed Chunnu, Sirajul Islam (BNP), Sattar Ali Bhuiyan (JP)

Election 2008: Giasuddin Ahmed surrendered to the court in February 2007 and is in custody since. Earlier he had submitted his wealth statement in response to ACC notice.
It is highly unlikely that Giasuddin will run in the current election under present circumstances.

 

Begum Shamsunnahar Ahsanullah

Family Tree:

http://gupshup1.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=gupshup1&view=18&pid=777&rand=364709721 Wife of Nawabzada Khwaja Ahsanullah

Political career: BNP, MP from the women’s reserved seat.

Election 2008: In exile since the military backed caretaker govt is in the helm of the country. Along with 86 other ex MP’s she sided with party SG Khandaker Delwar Hossain in an open letter published on June 2008. For being in the anti reformist tent she might be rewarded again with one of the 45 reserved sit in the 9^th parliament-provided that BNP wins and controls the Songsod.

Obituary: Hasmat Begum

Hasmat Begum- daughter of Syed Abdul Bari and Masarrat Begum and wife of Khwaja Alamgir died of chronic illness on Monday. Inna Lillahe Was inns Ilaihe rajeun.  She left behind three daughters Rosemeen, Nowsheen, Shaheen and three sons Mohammed Ali Baba, Murtoza Babu and Goley.

She was burried at the Begum Bazar family graveyard.

 

Hasmat Begum had performed her last Tahajjud prayer and died while asleep.

May Allah rest accept her in Jannatul Ferdous.

Family Tree of Hasmat Begum: http://gupshup1.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?view=0&rand=923595354&pid=1594&userid=gupshup1

News Source: Syed Shahadat Hussain

Dhaka Amar Dhaka opens Nov 28

The 400th anniversary of Dhaka as the capital city will be celebrated amid massive festivity and colourful activities.

A three-year state-level celebration titled ‘Dhaka Amar Dhaka,’ will be launched on November 28 followed by a daylong programme on the next day.

Committees and sub-committees have been formed to organise and manage the anniversary programmes expected to run till 2010.

The celebration events include firing of cannon, grand rally with horses and elephants, fireworks show and releasing of fanush (lantern) on the opening day.

Among other special arrangements there will be traditional Kawali concert, dances, poetry recitals and performance by Dhaka’s famous traditional comic acts.

To recollect the lost heritage of the city the celebration will also include ‘Dhakaiya’ food festival, boat race, kite festival and display of Dhaka’s world famous fabricsthe Muslin and Jamdani.

During the three-year celebration special arrangements will made to put up shows at Ahsan Manzil, and other historical places and heritage sites to reintroduce the histories and legends of the city to the new generation.  To read detail please click the link below:

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=63948

Sami Headed for Dhaka

Friday November 21st

Khwaja Sami is leaving New York for Dhaka . His wife Najmunnahar Begum and daughter Soha will accompany him. He will be missed here in the community. It is to be noted that his younger brother Khwaja Asrar died in NY last month.

 

K Sami is going back to homeland Dhaka after long twenty years. He will be spending some quality time with his mother and sister Nargis Begum-(wife of Khwaja Latifullah).

You can reach Sami in Dhaka at 985-4278.

Obituary: Gulshan Ara Begum

Gulshan Ara Begum (wife of Khwaja Ehsanul Huq -Bhola and daughter of Khwaja Mohammed Erfan) passed away at local time 6 am Monday morning in Dhaka.

 

Inna Lillahi wa Inna ilaihi raji’un-“Beyshak hamari Janen Allah ki amanaten hen, Or hum sab ko usi ki taraf laut kar Jana hay”

 

She was laid to rest at the family graveyard in Begum Bazaar.

Earlier Gulshan Ara Begum was being treated at BERDEM for blood pressure and diabetes and was in coma for the last one month. She is survived by her husband, four sons Shahed (Attu), Taher (Munna), Khaled, Shaheed (Latif) and two daughters Parveen and Zareen. May Allah rest her soul in piece and may Allah give patience to the bereaved family.

 

Gulshan Begum in the family tree:

http://gupshup1.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?view=0&rand=396492777&pid=2106&userid=gupshup1

 

For condolence please call:

Dhaka:   Munna  711 5360 53 (cell)

Toronto: Zareen  905 239 1006

 

News source: S.K.Noman & K Nazrul (Najjo)

Khawaja Alqama has been appointed Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh

Left to Right: Khawaja Alqama, Yusuf Raza Gilani (Prime Minister of Pakistan) and Lulu Ayesha Khawaja.

It is with great pride that we announce Syed Khawaja Alqama’s (son of Khawaja Khairuddin and Haseena Khairuddin) appointment as Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh.

Khawaja Alqama holds a Phd from the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK. He also holds a MA in International Relations from the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK and a MS in International Relations from Quaid-e-Azam University, Pakistan. He completed his graduation at Government College, Lahore. Khwaja Alqama received his early education at Residential Model School, Dhaka.

Before his appointment, Khawaja Alqama was Dean and Chair of the Department of Political Science at Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan, Pakistan.      

Khawaja Alqama is married to Lulu Ayesha Khawaja (daughter of Khwaja Zubair and Sara Zubair) and has three daughters- Hani Khawaja, Reda Khawaja and Zoreen Khawaja.

Khawaja Alqama has two sisters (Seema Talha & Tazeen Jamil) and two brothers (Salman Khairuddin and Maaz Khairuddin). Khawaja Alqama’s father, Khawaja Khairuddin was the Mayor of Dhaka in the 1960s and the chief of the Muslim League in Dhaka. Khwaja Alqama’s first cousin, S.K. Sharjil Hassan was Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Moscow.   

For the first time in the history of the Dhaka Nawab Family, two members of the Dhaka Nawab Family will concurrently serve as High Commissioners from their respective countries in both Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Khawaja Alqama will serve as Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh while his relative Yasmeen Morshed continues to serve as Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Pakistan.

To congratulate the family, please call:
(9221) 600-3556 Mrs. Haseena Khairuddin
(9221) 586-9021 Mrs. Sara Zubair

Source: Jang Newspaper

Birth Announcement: Noraiz Samir

Rabbana Omar (d/o Rafi Omar & Shabana Omar) and Mohammed Samir announce the birth of their child in Toronto.

 

Details are as following:

Who      Noraiz 

When    26 Oct

Where  Toronto East General Hospital

Weight  7 Lbs 08 oz

 

Noraiz on the family tree: http://gupshup1.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=gupshup1&pid=1028&bpid=1028&bview=0&view=0&ccpid=2498&rand=90797527

 

You can congratulate the parents or visiting Nano at 647 723 3007

A WEEK IN DHAKA

Tuesday, November 04, 2008 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

Being in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, after 12 years, felt quite surreal. Things have changed. The airport for a start has had a massive re-vamp. As we drove from the airport to my uncle’s apartment, I noticed that the “New Town” is now just as busy and congested as the “Old Town” used to be when I was a child

I had gone there with a goal that needed to be achieved and Alhamdulillah it was. I got to see and talk to my grandmother and she was pleased to see me. Lots of warm hugs (and food) were shared! I got to meet a lot of relatives and came back with lots of gifts from them. I also got to taste different fruits and flavours, curries and puris, pickles and jams, star fruit juice and coconut water.

My Dad’s ancestors have been in Dhaka for quite a few years. Initially, everyone settled in the old part of Dhaka (now known as “Old Town”). Generally, I saw that most people have held on to a lot of the cultural aspects of their ancestors. For example, the language they speak is a form of Urdu and a lot of the food is still popular in Kashmir (such as this light, flakey bread/pastry, Baqarkhani Roti).

On the other hand, a lot of the younger generation have married out of the family(!) and many are married to Bangladeshis. So just like they have in most places, cultures have combined to form new ones and all sorts of beautiful mixtures have arisen.

Bangladesh is a poor nation. But I was pleasantly surprised to see less street beggars and a more visually, active workforce.

 

This is in the Islampur Road Market before businesses start trading. This part of Old Dhaka has become extremely commercialised now and many of the families still living inthe area are trying to move out. Many years ago this area was home to my great grandfather. Now it is known for it’s textile wholesalers and retailers.

Just behind one of the market streets is Ahsan Manzil (I managed to get the dome in the picture but it’s not clear at all!). This palace was home to my father’s ancestors and has now been made in to a museum…………

http://motherhoodinsaudi.blogspot.com/2008/11/week-in-dhaka.html

 

Umm Hibaat

Ummfeejeddah@hotmail.com

Take your sweetheart to Ahsan Manzil

While there aren’t that many must-see historical sites, the ones there are are very popular with Bangladesh’s courting couples. At the colonial palace of Ahsan Manzil, you’ll be guaranteed to see couple after couple ensconced in nooks and crannies, having a quiet chat, gazing into each other’s eyes or, if they’re super daring, holding hands.

Bangladesh’s Muslim culture frowns a little at unmarried love, so if you want to get to know your future wife or husband there’s nowhere better than a historical site: there’s almost no chance of running into a neighbour or family member, entry is practically free, and you can learn a little about your country while you’re there. Even if you’re not traveling with your crush, Ahsan Manzil is definitely worth a visit: this recreated turn-of-the-century mansion is packed with intriguing trinkets, and it costs all of 3 cents to get in. Jane Rawson

 

http://travelblog.viator.com/things-to-do-in-bangladesh/

Jane Rawson launched her traveling career at age one, when she moved to Delhi, and her writing career at age five, when her poem “My pussy cat” was published on the fridge. Since then, her fiction has been published by Cardigan Press and her travel writing by Lonely Planet, while various employers have paid her to churn out copy on topics as gripping as management training, Eastern European hotel bedspreads and superannuation legislation. After stints in Phnom Penh, Prague, San Francisco and Canberra, she has settled down in Melbourne with a truck driver and a small cat (but not the cat in the eponymous poem) where she worries about the future and enjoys microbrewed beer, vegetable gardens and arguing online with people she has never met. You can find her online (occasionally) at travelskerricks.blogspot.com

Hajj 2008

K.M. Adil Asif, (son of  the late K.M. Asef and the late Qamar Bano) his wife along with three sons Afaque, Zaiyyan and Nasif, will, Insha Allah, be performing HAJJ this year. They will be leaving on the 14th of November. 

Other family members who are going to perform the Hajj this year are  

From Mirpur Dhaka Syeda Nusrat (d/o Syed Dildar Hussain).

From Paribagh Dhaka : Mohammed Ibrahim (s/o Hanifa Begum and grand son of K.M.Mosharraf) and his wife Reshma Begum.

From Nawab Bari Dhaka: Amin and his wife Luna and his mother in law Zafar Bano (d/o K.M.Ashraf).

From Uttara Dhaka : Khwaja Khawar Hassan and his wife Shaheeda Maqbul (Sheeda).

From Toronto, Khwaja Zafarul Huq (s/o Khwaja Fazlul Huq-Hafez)

May Allah accept their Hajj.