Dr. Md. Abdus Shahid, MP
Honorable Minister
Ministry of Agriculture
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Dr. Md. Abdus Shahid was elected as a Member of Parliament from Moulvibazar-4 constituency in the 12th National Parliament Election held on January 07, 2024 and appointed as the Minister for Agriculture of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on January 11, 2024.
Dr. Shahid was born in a noble Muslim family in Siddheshwarpur village of Kamolganj Upazila, Moulvibazar district on January 01, 1948. His father’s name is Md. Abdul Bari and mother’s name is Sajeda Khanam. Dr. Shahid obtained his M.Com degree in Management in 1971 from Chittagong University. He was awarded Ph.D degree from Jahangirnagar University in 2018 for his valuable contribution in the ethno-archaeological research. He started his professional career as a teacher of Kamolganj Government Gono College, Moulvibazar and served there as the Vice-Principal from 1973 to 1991.
Mr. Abdus Shahid involved himself in the politics of Bangladesh Awami League from his school life. As a political activist, he actively participated in various movements against the dictatorship of the military ruler Ayub Khan and raised his voice against the exploitation of Bangalee people by the then Pakistani rulers. He was elected Cultural Affairs Secretary of Sylhet Madan Mohan College Student Council from Chhatra League’s (the student front of Bangladesh Awami League) panel in 1965 and later he became acting General Secretary. He was elected Social Welfare Secretary of Sylhet District Chhatra League from 1966 to 1968. He was the Sports Secretary of Chittagong University Student Council and Vice President of Chittagong University Chhatra League from 1969 to 1972. As a student leader and a member of Sylhet Zilla Sangram Parishad, he also played courageous role in all democratic movement including the six point movement in 1966, the 11 point movement in 1969, and the mass upsurge against the Pakistani autocratic ruler.
Dr. Shahid played a courageous and glorious role as a freedom fighter in the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. His father and five brothers were brutally tortured by the Pakistani forces during that war. After the independence of Bangladesh, he became active in the politics of Bangladesh Awami League again in 1973. He was a Presidium Member of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League Central Committee from 1991 to 2000 and President of Moulvibazar District Awami League from 2006 to 2017.
Dr. Md. Abdus Shahid was elected as a Member of Parliament from Moulvibazar-4 Constituency (Srimangal and Kamolganj Upazilas) for seven consecutive times since 1991 as a candidate of Bangladesh Awami League. He has been contributing the nation as an experienced parliamentarian since then. His contribution, as a Whip of the National Parliament of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2001, as Chief Whip of the Opposition Party from 2001 to 2006 and as Chief Whip from 2009 to 2014, has been highly lauded.
Dr. Shahid was the Chairman and Member of various committees of the National Parliament for a long time. He served as the Chairman of the House Committee in the 9th National Parliament, as the Chairman of the Committee on Government Assurances in the 10th National Parliament and as the Chairman of the Committee on Estimates in the 11th National Parliament. Moreover, he was the member of various parliamentary standing committees like- Standing Committee on Ministry of Finance; Business Advisory Committee; Rules of Procedure Committee; Standing Committee of Privileges; Committee on Petitions; Standing Committee on the Ministry of Labor and Manpower; Standing Committee on Ministry of Home Affairs; Standing Committee on Ministry of Education; Standing Committee on Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives; Standing Committee on Ministry of Public Administration; Standing Committee on Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources during the last six consecutive parliament.
Dr. Shahid is the president of the Bangladesh-Nepal Parliamentary Alliance Group in National Parliament and the convener of ‘My Constituency Data Platform’.
As an educationist, Dr. Shahid has established many educational institutions and is also involved in the management of many educational institutions. He is the founding Chairman of the Vice-Principal Mohammad Abdus Shahid College, Srimangal; Abdul Bari Mulfat Uddin Hafizia Ibtedayi Madrasa, Kamolganj; Sajeda-Bari Shishusadan and Dwarika Paul Women College, Srimangal. Currently, he is a Syndicate Member of Sylhet Agricultural University. He is also a former senate member of Dhaka University, National University and Shahjalal Science & Technology University.
Dr. Shahid is also associated with many national and international professional & social organizations. He is the Member of National Freedom Fighters Council; Member of Bangladesh Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (BAPPD); Member of Board of Directors of National Legal Aid Services Organization; and Member of National Integrity Advisory Council. He is a life member of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society; Bangladesh National Blind Welfare Organization; and Bangladesh Association for Prevention and Treatment of Liver Diseases. He is former Vice President of Bangladesh Parliament Members Support Group (BPMSG) on Prevention of HIV/AIDS and Human Trafficking.
Dr. Md. Abdus Shahid is married to Umme Kulsum and is blessed with one son and two daughters. His son Margub Morshed Romeo is a businessman, and lives in Germany. Elder daughter Umme Farzana is a Women Affairs Secretary of Srimangal Upazila Awami League. Younger daughter Umme Marjana is a lecturer of Economics at East-West University.
Dr. Shahid visited USA, Switzerland, UK, Canada, Italy, Germany, Nepal, South Africa, Sweden, New Zealand, Japan, Tonga, Turkiye, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, China, Russia, Belarus, Malaysia, Uganda, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Iraq, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Angola for official purposes.