Motiur Rahman (born 9 July 1942) is a

Bangladesh Awami League Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

politician who served as the Minister of Religious Affairs.

Early life

Rahman was born on 9 July 1942 in Akua, Mymensingh Sadar Upazila,

Mymensingh District Mymensingh ( bn, ময়মনসিংহ) is a district in Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh, and is bordered on the north by Meghalaya, a state of India and the Garo Hills, on the south by Gazipur District, on the east by the districts of Ne ...

in the then

Bengal Presidency The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William and later Bengal Province, was a subdivision of the British Empire in India. At the height of its territorial jurisdiction, it covered large parts of what is now South Asia and ...

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

. He graduated from Akua Model Primary School in 1953. He joined

Mymensingh Zilla School Mymensingh Zilla School, also known as MZS, is a boys' public secondary school.The school was established on 3 November, 1853 as Hardinge School during British Raj.It has its own century old reputation for providing quality education and producin ...

in 1957 and then went to Nokla High School. In 1961, he graduated from Ananda Mohan College and in 1964 he earned his undergraduate degree from the same college. In 1967, he graduated with a master's in zoology from the

University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...

Career

Rahman started teaching at Nandina College in

Jamalpur District Jamalpur ( bn, জামালপুর জেলা, ''Jamalpur Jela'' also ''Jamalpur Zila'') is a district in Bangladesh, part of the Mymensingh Division. It was established in 1978. Geography Jamalpur occupies 2031.98 km2. It is locat ...

and than taught at the Nasirabad College in Mymensingh District. In 1969, he founded the Alamgir Mansur Mintu Memorial College and served as its principal until 2002. In 1971, he fought in the Bangladesh Liberation war. He taught for while at the

Mymensingh College Mymensingh ( bn, ময়মনসিংহ) is the capital of Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh. Located on the bank of Brahmaputra River, about north of the national capital Dhaka, it is a major financial center and educational hub of north- ...

. In 2002, he founded Matiur Rahman Academy School and College and appointed himself its principal. He founded Nasirabad Girls' School, Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam College, and Meher Razzak Private Primary School. He served as the chairman of Nasirabad College, Mymensingh College, Mymensingh Women's Degree College, Islamic Academy, and Akuabari Madrasa Management Committee. Rahman served as the general secretary of Mymensingh District Awami League. He was elected to Parliament from

Mymensingh-4 Mymensingh-4 is a constituency represented in the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) of Bangladesh since 2014 by Rowshan Ershad of the Jatiya Party (Ershad). Boundaries The constituency encompasses Mymensingh Sadar Upazila. History The con ...

in 1986, 1996, and 2008. On 12 January 2014, he was appointed the Minister of Religious Affairs. Rahman named a government funded hospital after his deceased son which generated controversy in the news media about the appropriate use of public funds. He famously used Arabic language inscriptions on walls to prevent public urination. On 22 January 2022, Rahman was awarded the

Ekushey Padak Ekushey Padak ( bn, একুশে পদক; lit. "Twentyfirst Award") is the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952. The award is given to recognize contribut ...

, the second most important award for civilians in Bangladesh.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rahman, Motiur Living people 1942 births University of Dhaka alumni Awami League politicians 7th Jatiya Sangsad members 9th Jatiya Sangsad members Religious affairs ministries of Bangladesh Recipients of the Ekushey Padak