Listed below are notable people who are either citizens of Bangladesh, born in the region of what is now Bangladesh, or of Bangladeshi origin living abroad. For brevity, people who fall into more than one category are listed in only one of them. For further information, see Bangladeshi people.

Leaders of independence movements

Scientists, engineers and educators

• Nasima Akhter (born 1970), nuclear medicine researcher
• Arun Kumar Basak, scientist and Professor Emeritus of University of Rajshahi
• Abdullah Al Muti, scientist and science writer
• Maqsudul Alam, scientist and professor who achieved three milestones in genomics - sequencing the genomes of papaya, rubber plants and jute at University of Hawaii
• Mir Masoom Ali, emeritus professor of statistics
• Amit Chakma, tenth president of the University of Western Ontario
• SM Faruque, microbiologist and scientist, researcher on Vibrio cholerae which causes Cholera
• Azizul Haque, who pioneered the mathematical formula for the Henry Classification System of fingerprinting
• Tanzima Hashem, academic, Elsevier Foundation Award winner in 2017
• M. Zahid Hasan, Eugene Higgins endowed chair professor of quantum physics at Princeton University and scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; known for many ground-breaking discoveries in the quantum world^[1]
• Khandkar Manwar Hossain, statistician and founder of the Department of Statistics in Rajshahi University
• Saleemul Huq, awarded the Burtoni Award for contributing to climate change adaptation
• Fazle Hussain, professor of Mechanical Engineering at Texas Tech University; elected Fellow of National Academy of Engineering
• Abul Hussam, awarded the 2007 Grainger Challenge Prize for Sustainability
• Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, scientist and science writer
• Jamal Nazrul Islam, physicist and mathematician
• Jawed Karim, co-creator of YouTube and designer of PayPal's anti-fraud system
• Mohammad Ataul Karim, Bangladeshi American scientist
• Fazlur Rahman Khan, structural engineer and architect
• Sezan Mahmud, Medical Scientist and Educator, writer, Dean for EID, QU Netter School of Medicine.
• Bibhuti Roy, engineer and educationist
• Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy
• M. A. Naser, pioneer in engineering education in Bangladesh
• Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda, Bangladeshi scientist, educationist and writer
• Khondkar Siddique-e-Rabbani, biomedical physicist
• Abdul Matin Patwari, electrical engineer, mathematician, vice-chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology
• Qazi Motahar Hossain, scientist, statistician, founder-director of Institute of Statistical Research and Training, University of Dhaka
• Omar Ishrak, investor, entrepreneur, executive chairman and chairman of the board, Medtronic; board chairman of INTEL
• Mohammad Kaykobad, computer scientist, educator, author and columnist of Bangladesh, professor of computer science and engineering at BUET
• Lucina Uddin, American neuroscientist, born in Bangladesh^[2]

Educationists

• Serajul Islam Choudhury, educationist, public intellectual
• Rasheda K Chowdhury, Bangladeshi academic, former Advisor of Caretaker Government, Bangladesh
• Abul Kashem Fazlul Haq, educationist, former professor of University of Dhaka
• Syed Manzoorul Islam, educationist, former professor of University of Dhaka
• Rafiqul Islam, national professor, Bangladesh
• Jamilur Reza Choudhury, former professor, BUET, national professor, Bangladesh
• Anisuzzaman, professor, University of Dhaka, national professor, Bangladesh

Arts, culture, and literature

• Hiralal Sen, founder of Indian cinema
• Ahmed Sofa, writer, thinker, novelist
• Zainul Abedin, painter
• Humayun Ahmed, novelist and former professor of Chemistry, Dhaka University
• Tofail Ahmed, author and researcher of folk art
• Alaol, medieval poet
• Monica Ali, author of Brick Lane
• Syed Mujtaba Ali, Bengali author, academician, scholar and linguist
• Tahmima Anam, novelist and winner of the 2008 Commonwealth Writers' Prize
• Rashid Askari, writer, fictionist, columnist, and academic
• Humayun Azad, writer and former professor of Bengali, Dhaka University
• Rafiq Azad, poet
• Manzoor Alam Beg, photographer and author
• Munier Chowdhury, educator, dramatist and intellectual killed in 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh
• Akhteruzzaman Elias, novelist and short story writer
• Nirmalendu Goon, poet
• Abdul Hakim, medieval poet
• Marjana Chowdhury, Bangladeshi-American model, philanthropist and beauty queen Miss Bangladesh USA
• Sikdar Aminul Haq, poet
• Quamrul Hassan, artist
• Saad Z Hossain, writer
• Khondakar Ashraf Hossain, poet, essayist, translator and editor
• Abul Hussain, poet
• Jahanara Imam, writer and activist
• Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, writer and educator
• Kazi Nazrul Islam, national poet of Bangladesh
• Mazharul Islam, architect, political activist
• Syed Jahangir, freelance artist of Bangladesh
• Adiba Jaigirdar, Bangladeshi-Irish writer
• Jasimuddin, poet
• Shahriyar Kabir, author and journalist
• Shahidullah Kaiser, educator, novelist and intellectual killed in 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh
• Abul Kashem, architect and educationist
• Lalon Shah, mystic poet
• Al Mahmud, poet
• Sezan Mahmud, Writer, lyricist, filmmaker, medical scientist and educationist.
• Firoz Mahmud, contemporary visual artist, creator, painter
• Ghulam Murshid, author, scholar and journalist
• Partha Pratim Majumder, Bangladeshi mime artist who is considered the "forerunner" of mime art in Bangladesh
• Natyaguru Nurul Momen, trailblazer progressive cultural personality who dispelled fundamentalism from the society by championing theatrical and performing arts and secular literature
• Shahabuddin Nagari, poet, writer and singer
• Shamsur Rahman, poet
• Hason Raja, mystic poet
• Begum Rokeya, writer
• Bibi Russell, model and fashion designer
• Arunabh Sarkar, poet
• Muhammad Shahidullah, Bengali educationist, writer and linguist
• Rudra Muhammad Shahidullah, poet
• Ahmed Sharif, writer of Bengali literature, secularist
• SM Sultan, painter
• Kamal Chowdhury, poet
• Taslima Nasrin, famous writer and feminist, awardee of Ananda Puraskar
• Salimullah Khan, writer, thinker
• Hasan Azizul Haq, writer
• Sanjida Khatun, musicologist, one of the founders of Chhayanaut
• Shahid Mahmud Jangi, writer, lyricist
• Monica Jahan Bose, artist and climate activist

Chefs

• Keka Ferdousi
• Alpana Habib
• Tony Karim
• Siddika Kabir

Social reformers and leaders

• Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of BRAC
• Hazi Mohammad Mohsin, philanthropist
• Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner

Music, film and television

• Ayub Bachchu, singer and guitarist
• Abdur Razzak, actor, director
• Shabana, film actress
• Bobita, film actress
• Shefali Chowdhury, played Harry Potter's Yule Ball date in Goblet of Fire
• Sumita Devi, film and television actress
• Abdul "Duke" Fakir, American singer of Ethiopian and Bangladeshi descent, member of the Four Tops
• Humayun Faridi, TV, stage, and film actor
• Chanchal Chowdhury, actor
• Bidya Sinha Saha Mim, actor and model
• Apu Biswas, film actress and model
• Jaya Ahsan, actress and producer
• Dipjol, film actor, film producer and politician
• Waheedul Haq, Tagore song specialist and journalist
• Zahid Hasan, actor and director
• Rahsaan Islam, American actor of Bangladeshi descent
• Jayasree Kabir, actress
• Kaushik Hossain Taposh, music composer, singer, producer & MD of Gaan Bangla
• Mehazabien Chowdhury
• Mosharraf Karim, actor
• Montazur Rahman Akbar, film director, producer
• Mukul Chowdhury, lyricist and musical artist
• Azam Khan, singer
• Alam Khan, music director and composer
• Tahsan Rahman Khan, singer and actor
• Shakib Khan, actor, producer, singer, film organiser and media personality
• Arifin Shuvoo, actor, television presenter, RJ and model
• Runa Laila, singer
• Manna, film actor
• Tareque Masud, film director
• Tanvir Mokammel, film director
• Asaduzzaman Noor, actor, politician and member of parliament
• Khan Ataur Rahman, film director
• Shahnaz Rahmatullah, singer
• Raja Chanda
• Rola, half Bangladeshi, quarter Russian, quarter Japanese fashion model
• Shabnam, film actress
• Dino Shafeek, British actor known for Mind Your Language
• Salman Shah, film actor
• Sabina Yasmin, singer
• Zahir Raihan, film director
• Sharmin Sultana Sumi, singer
• Emon Chowdhury, singer

Economists

• Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, internationally recognised economist, elected member of IMF (International Monetary Fund), National political leader
• Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, economist and development thinker, Chairman of Dhaka School of Economics
• Nurul Islam, economist, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, author
• Anu Muhammad, economist
• Md. Anisur Rahman, economist, former member of the Planning Commission, author
• Muzaffar Ahmed, economist and emeritus professor at the Institute of Business Administration of the University of Dhaka
• Atiur Rahman, economist, Governor of Bangladesh Bank and former director of the state-owned Sonali Bank
• Rehman Sobhan, economist

Entrepreneurs

• Abdul Awal Mintoo, former president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI)
• Amjad Khan Chowdhury, founder of Bangladesh business conglomerate PRAN-RFL Group
• Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, chairman of the business conglomerate Bashundhara Group
• Ananta Jalil, chairman of AJ Group (Bangladesh)
• Ayman Sadiq, founder of 10 Minute School
• Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder and chairperson of the world's largest international development NGO, BRAC
• Samson H. Chowdhury, chairman of Astras Ltd. and Square (Bangladesh)
• Syed Manzur Elahi, founder of Apex Group^[3]
• Iqbal Quadir, co-founder of GrameenPhone
• Mahmudur Rahman, newspaper owner and editor
• Mohammad Fazlul Azim, chairman of Azim Group, former MP
• Omar Ishrak, investor, entrepreneur, executive chairman and chairman of the board, Medtronic; board chairman of INTEL

Media and journalism

• Mukhlesur Rahman Chowdhury, former adviser to the President of Bangladesh
• Salah Choudhury, writer, peace activist and journalist
• Lenin Gani, journalist, winner of the Best Sports Report in 2001 by Dhaka Reporters Unity
• Kaberi Gayen, prominent academic, author, columnist for The Daily Star
• Kazi Shamsul Hoque, journalist
• Mainul Hosein, former chairman of the editorial board of The Daily Ittefaq
• Naveed Mahbub, comedian and columnist
• Matiur Rahman, editor of the daily Prothom Alo, winner of Ramon Magsaysay Award for journalism
• Shykh Seraj, director of News Channel i, Agriculture Development activist, winner of FAO A.H. Boerma Award, Ekushey Padak
• Mahbub Jamal Zahedi, former editor of the Khaleej Times, assistant editor of Dawn, and founder-editor of The Agatya
• Samia Zaman, Editor and CEO of the television channel Ekattor TV
• Tasmima Hossain, on 4 July 2018, she was made the editor of The Daily Ittefaq
• Anisul Hoque, associate editor of a Bengali-language daily Prothom Alo and the editor of monthly youth magazine Kishor Alo
• Naem Nizam, Editor Bangladesh Pratidin
• Farida Yasmin, President of Jatiya Press Club
• Khaled Muhiuddin, head of the German-based international media, Deutsche Welle Bangla Department

Political figures

• Manoranjan Dhar, former law minister, BD
• Anwara Khatun, member of East Pakistan Legislative Assembly
• Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, adviser, Bangladesh Awami League, former Home Minister
• M Saifur Rahman, former finance minister
• Shah M S Kibria, former finance minister
• Abdus Samad Azad, former Foreign Minister
• Dewan Farid Gazi, former minister
• Abul Mal Abdul Muhit, incumbent finance minister
• Nurul Islam Nahid, incumbent education minister
• Abul Mansur Ahmed, politician from Mymensingh
• Moudud Ahmed, barrister, politician and statesman
• Oli Ahmed (Bir Bikram), President of the Liberal Democratic Party (Bangladesh), 2006–present; former Minister (various portfolios in multiple cabinets); decorated freedom fighter; one of the main founders of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
• Shahabuddin Ahmed, former president
• Majid-ul-Haq, minister
• Ghulam Azam, Islamist politician, former leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, accused of war crimes for his role in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
• Muhammad Ali Bogra, Prime Minister of Pakistan, 1953–1955
• Fazlul Qadir Chaudhry, acting President of Pakistan, Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, President of Muslim League, accused of war crimes for his role in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
• Hamidul Huq Choudhury, Foreign Minister of Pakistan, 1954–1956
• A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury, mayor of Chittagong, member of the Chowdhury Family
• A.Q.M. Badruddoza Chowdhury, former president, Leader of Bikalpa Dhara
• Motiya Chowdhury, member of Parliament, former Minister of Agriculture
• Saber Hossain Chowdhury, member of Parliament
• Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, former Minister, accused of war crimes for his role in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, son of Fazlul Qadir Chaudhry
• Mirza Ghulam Hafiz, politician and minister
• Khorshed Ara Haque, Member of Parliament
• Altaf Husain, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Pakistan, 1965–1968
• Abdul Jolil, politician and Minister
• Morshed Khan, former Foreign Minister
• Khawaja Nazimuddin, second Governor-General of Pakistan, and the second Prime Minister of Pakistan
• Shah Azizur Rahman, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh
• Md. Hafizur Rahman, Minister of Food and Agriculture of Pakistan (1958–1960); Minister of Commerce of Pakistan (1960–1962); Provincial Minister of Finance and Planning of East Pakistan (1962–1965)
• Tareq Rahman, senior vice president of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), son of Begum Khaleda Zia and Ziaur Rahman
• Abdur Razzaq, former minister of agriculture
• Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah, first to propose the creation of the All India Muslim League
• M. A. Sattar, Minister of Jute and Textiles, 1985–1986, Minister of Labor and Manpower, 1986–1987, MP (Narayanganj-4), 1986–1990 and Chief Whip, 1988–1990
• Suranjit Sengupta, politician and minister
• Sadhan Chandra Majumder, Minister of Food, BD
• Swapan Bhattacharjee, Minister of State for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives
• Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu, MP (Barguna-1)
• Pankaj Nath, MP (Barisal-4)
• Jaya Sengupta, MP (Sunamganj)
• Biren Sikder, MP (Magura-2)
• Manoranjan Shill Gopal, MP (Dinajpur-1)

Photographers

• GMB Akash
• Shahidul Alam
• Anwar Hossain
• Sarker Protick
• Munem Wasif

Heads of state or government

• Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, President, August 15, 1975 – November 3, 1975
• Tajuddin Ahmed, (by Appointment and Oath) Prime Minister, 1971–1972
• Hussain Mohammed Ershad, by (India supported Military Coup) Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) 1982–1985 and self declared President (1985–1990 December 6)
• Sheikh Hasina, (elected) Prime Minister, 1996–2001, 2009–13, 2013–present
• Begum Khaleda Zia, (elected) Prime Minister; 1991–1996, 1996–1996, 2001–2006

Intellectuals

• A.F.Salahuddin Ahmed, historian
• Syed Modasser Ali, ophthalmologist
• Munir Chowdhury, educationist
• Nikhilesh Dutta, Deputy Attorney General
• Kamal Hossain, lawyer and politician, civil rights activist
• Nasreen Pervin Huq, women's rights activist
• Roquia Sakhawat Hussain, prolific writer, feminist, social worker
• Muhammed Abdul Muid Khan, nominated as the Best Human Rights Lawyer of England and Wales in 2012
• M S Khan, librarian and pioneer of library science in Bangladesh
• Mohammad Shahedul Anam Khan, defence analyst
• Natyaguru Nurul Momen, Academician, Playwright, Satirist, Professor, Media Personality, Dramatist, Director, Essayist, Columnist, Translator, Poet, Actor & Theatre theorist.
• Mirza Hussain Haider, former Justice of the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court
• Mohammad Yusuf Siddiq, historian, epigraphist, researcher, professor and author

Government officials and diplomats

• Shakil Ahmed, Army general
• Anwar Chowdhury, British High Commissioner to Dhaka, first non-White Briton to hold a senior diplomatic post
• Akbar Ali Khan, Bangladeshi economic historian and educationist who was a civil servant until 2001, Finance Ministry Adviser (Minister) of Caretaker government of Bangladesh
• A. H. M. Moniruzzaman, career diplomat belonging to the Bangladesh Foreign Service, was the head of Bangladesh Mission to the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland
• Ayub Quadri, retired bureaucrat, adviser for the ministries of Education and Cultural Affairs to Caretaker government of Bangladesh
• Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, senior lecturer at the Monash University, a political economist and social scientist and a bureaucrat from Bangladesh
• Quadrat Elahi Rahman Shafique, colonel in Bangladesh Army who died in the 2009 Bangladesh Rifles mutiny
• Sarwar Hossain, Army General and former Military Secretary to the President of Bangladesh.

Noted diplomats and heads of major organizations

• Abul Fateh, professional diplomat, first Foreign Secretary 1971–1972
• Chandra Kalindi Roy Henriksen, Chief Secretary of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
• M Sakhawat Hossain, former Election Commissioner of Bangladesh (2007–2012), Brigadier General (retd) Bangladesh Army, writer, author of more than 20 books, columnist, speaker, freelance commentator on national and international TV channels, security and defense analyst
• Irene Khan, former Secretary General of human rights organization Amnesty International; the first woman, the first Asian, and the first Muslim to hold the position; won the Sydney Peace Prize 2006
• Osman Ghani Khan, former Chairman of the United Nations Board of Auditors (1980–1982), former Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh (1976–1082), and former Defense Secretary of Bangladesh

Religious personalities

• Fazlul Haque Amini (1945–2012), former principal of Jamia Qurania Arabia Lalbagh and politician
• Abul Kalam Azad (born 1947), preacher and Jamaat-e-Islami politician
• Junaid Babunagari (born 1955), former Amir of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh
• Muhibbullah Babunagari (born 1935), current Amir of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh
• Abdul Halim Bukhari (born 1945), Islamic scholar and chancellor of Al Jamia Al Islamia Patiya
• Abdul Matin Chowdhury (1915–1990), Shaykh of Fulbari and political activist
• Abdul Haque Faridi (1903–1996), founder of the Islami Bishwakosh project
• Nurul Islam Farooqi (died 2014), TV presenter assassinated by Islamic militants
• Abdul Latif Chowdhury Fultali (1913–2008), founder of the Fultali movement and Darul Hadis Latifiah
• Muhammad Asadullah Al-Ghalib (born 1948), reformist and founder of Ahle Hadith Andolon Bangladesh
• Nur Uddin Gohorpuri (1924–2005), chairman of Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh
• Mahmudul Hasan, President of Al-Haiatul Ulya Lil-Jamiatil Qawmia Bangladesh and Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh, Chancellor of Jamia Islamia Darul Uloom Madania, Amir of Majlis-e-Dawatul Haq Bangladesh^[4]
• Ubaidul Haq (1928–2007), former khatib of Baitul Mukarram
• Azizul Haque (1919–2012), first translator of Sahih Al-Bukhari into the Bengali language
• Mamunul Haque (born 1973), Islamic scholar and influential speaker
• Mahfuzul Haque (born 1969), Islamic scholar and politician
• A F M Khalid Hossain (born 1959), vice-president of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh
• Hafezzi Huzur (1895–1997), founder of the Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan
• Abu Hena Saiful Islam (born 1963), imam of the US Navy
• Izharul Islam, founder of Jamiatul Uloom Al-Islamia Lalkhan Bazar
• Sayyid Kamal ad-Din Jafri (born 1945), founder of the Bangladesh Islami University
• Abdul Jabbar Jahanabadi (1937–2016), former secretary-general of Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh
• Nurul Islam Jihadi (born 1948), secretary-general of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh
• Syed Rezaul Karim (born 1971), current Pir of Chormonai and leader of Islami Andolan Bangladesh
• Syed Fazlul Karim (1935–2006), former Pir of Chormonai and founder of Islami Andolan Bangladesh
• Nur Hossain Kasemi (1945–2020), former secretary-general of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh
• Muhiuddin Khan (1935–2016), translator of the Qur'an and the Ma'ariful Qur'an exegesis
• Muhammad Abdul Malek (born 1969), muhaddith and author
• Ajmal Masroor (born 1971), British politician, imam and TV presenter
• Abdul Khaleque Mondal, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami associate
• Sultan Zauq Nadvi (born 1939), founder of Jamia Darul Ma'arif Al-Islamia
• Abdur Rahim (1918–1987), inaugural Amir of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
• Abdur Rahman (1920–2015), founder of Islamic Research Center Bangladesh
• Syed Mohammad Saifur Rahman Nizami (born 1916), Ekushey Padak recipient
• Abu Zafar Mohammad Saleh, Independence Award recipient
• Delwar Hossain Sayeedi (born 1940), Islamic scholar and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami politician
• Shah Ahmad Shafi (1916–2020), former Amir of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh
• Nurul Islam Walipuri (born 1955), mufassir, teacher and author
• Muhammad Waqqas (1952–2021), former secretary-general of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh
• Obaidul Haque Wazirpuri (1934–2008), former co-president of Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh

Criminals

Sports people

See also

• List of Bangladeshi Americans
• List of Bengalis
• List of British Bangladeshis
• List of Bangladeshi architects
• List of Bangladeshi painters
• List of Bangladeshi poets
• List of Bangladesh-related topics
• List of Bangladesh Test cricketers
• List of Bangladeshi writers
• List of ethnic minority officials in Bangladesh

References