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Alhaj Advocate Sheikh Md. Abdullah
Honorable State Minister
Ministry of Religious Affairs
Govt. of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

 
Alhaj Advocate Sheikh Md. Abdullah, State Minister for Religious Affairs was born on September 8, 1945 in a respectable Muslim family of village Kekania on the bank of the river Madhumati in the district of Gopalganj . His father is late Alhaj Sheikh Md. Matiur Rahman and mother Alhajjah Mosammat Rabeya Khatun. Among four brothers and three sisters, he is the second.

 
He started his education in the local Gaohardanga Hafezia Madrasa with memorising the Holy Quran. After that, he studied in a Qawmi madrasa. He had his Primary & Secondary level of education from Sultan Shahi Kekania primary school and Sultan Shahi Kekania high school respectively . Thereafter, he obtained B.com (Hons) from Azam Khan College in Khulna in 1963 and he completed his M.com from the University of Dhaka in 1972 and MA in Economics in 1974. He obtained his LLB degree from Dhaka Central Law Collage in 1977.
 
After completion of his education, he started his career as the Headmaster of Sultan Shahi Kekania High School. Later, he started practicing in Dhaka & Gopalganj Judge Court and Bangladesh Supreme Court as an enlisted advocate.
 
He engaged himself in polities in his student life being motivated by the ideologies of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He was elected the first Vice President in Khulna Azam Khan Commerce College. In the sixties of the last century, the movement of the Six-point in East Pakistan under the leadership of Bangabandhu was in progress. At that time, he actively participated in the six-point movement of 1966 and eleven-point movement. Having closely touched with Bangabandhu, he got closely involved in politics. He joined Awami Jubo League as the founder President of Gopalganj Jubo Leage under the leadership of Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni, the founder of Bangladesh Jubo League.
 
During this time, he became the Organizing Secretary of Gopalganj district Awami League formed by the direct supervision of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He then served as a member of the central Awami Jubo League.He was actively involved in the mass upsurge movement of 1969. He was involved in local politics in the 1970’s election and took part in the Awami League’s massive election campaign under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
 
He joined the liberation war in 1971 in the front of Mujib Bahini. When Bangali’s freedom struggle started, he actively participated in the liberation war.
 
In 1973 he qualified the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination held under the government of Bangladesh . Instead of joining the government service he decided to serve the nation through politics with the ideology of Bangabandhu under his leadership. He was elected the General Secretary of Gopalganj District Awami League through the council. He had served this responsibility for a long time.He was also engaged with labour politics in Khulna region. In 1975, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman formed Bangladesh Krishak Sromik Awami League (BAKSAL) and Alhaj Advocate Sheikh Md. Abdullah was selected as the Joint Secretary of Gopalganj of the newly formed party. He has been holding the post of the secretary of Religious Affairs in the central committee of Bangladesh Awami League at national level.
 
Alhaj Advocate Sheikh Md. Abdullah was blessed by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He performed various organizational and political responsibilities in the greater Khulna region on the directions of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
 
In the dark night of 15 August 1975, the country fell in a crucial situation following the brutal killing of Bangabandhu, the Father of Nation and other members of his family. At that time to keep Awami League in Gopalganj organized Mr. Md. Abdullah worked as a fearless soldier keeping himself above greed, lust and threat. He was uncompromising and loyal to the party and became the symbol of confidence of the party workers & supporters. The situation after 15 August 1975 was so fragile that nobody was ready to give any space for Awami League office. Sheikh Md. Abdullah started party office in his own residence. After return of Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangabandhu, a people’s leader as well, Advocate Sheikh Md. Abdullah actively played his roles in politics under her strong leadership.
 
Every time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had been elected Member of Parliament from the parliamentary constituency 217, Gopalganj-03 (Tungipara-Kotalipara), Alhaj Sheikh Md. Abdullah efficiently conducted all election activities as her chief election agent. After the election, he has been working as the parliamentary representative of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with honesty and full devotion.
 
Alhaj Advocate Sheikh Md. Abdullah has played a very responsible role as one of the respected governors of the Board of Governors of Islamic Foundation a long time. He played a crucial role in achieving the official recognition of the certificate of Qawmi Board of Bangladesh approved by the government of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He has played a leading role to arrange a huge gathering of religious scholars and ulemas in the historical Suhrawardi Uddan where the Imam and Khatibs of two Holy mosques namely Masjid-ul- Haram and Masjid Al Nobowi were present. He was the Convener of that project.
 
He had been the director of Agrani Bank Limited, one of the leading banks of Bangladesh, from 1996-2001. He has patronised many educational, social and cultural organizations. He is also the founder and patron of numerous religious organizations and has contributed immensely to activate religious affairs. He led a remarkable spiritual life from early childhood till now.
 
Alhaj Advocate Sheikh Md. Abdullah has traveled to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand as part of various government and non-governmental activities. As a dedicated Muslim, he performed holy Hajj five times.
 
Bangladesh Awami League formed government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina winning a huge election in the eleventh parliamentary elections held on 30 December 2018. Alhaj Advocate Sheikh Md. Abdullah has been entrusted with the position of a Cabinet Minister with the portfolio of the State Minister, Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on 07 January 2019.
 
Since he took the official position as the State Minister for Religious Affairs, he has been very active in promoting all religious activities of all the religions in Bangladesh. He maintains a very cordial relationship with Islamic Scholars (Alem-Ulama) and other religious leaders of different faiths simultaneously. They also show their full confidence and respects upon his all sorts of activities.