Majumder–Zia family

The Majumder–Zia family (Bengali: মজুমদার–জিয়া পরিবার), or simply the Zia family (জিয়া পরিবার), is one of the two most prominent Bangladeshi political families, alongside the Sheikh family, which leads Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Members of the family include – Ziaur Rahman served as army chief and later President of Bangladesh and Khaleda Zia as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, while several others have been members of the parliament.

Zia family জিয়া পরিবার
Zia couple in 1979
Current region	Bangladesh United Kingdom
Place of origin	Bengal (Mandal Family) Afghanistan (Majumdar Family)
Founder	Kamaluddin Mandal (Zia family) Murad Khan (Majumder family)
Current head	Khaleda Zia
Members	Ziaur Rahman Khaleda Zia Tarique Rahman Arafat Rahman
Distinctions	Political prominence within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party

Background of the families

Mandals of Mahishaban

Kakar Mandal was the great-grandson of Muminuddin Mandal (d. 1840), a powerful leader and Mandal from the village of Mahishaban in Gabtali, Bogra. Muminuddin Mandal's influence was spread out across Gabtali, Sukhanpukur and other areas west of the Jamuna River.

• Kamaluddin Mandal (born 1854): He was the only son of Kakar Mandal. He was a moulvi and local educationist who served as the principal of Bagbari Minor School. He moved from Mahishaban to Bagbari after marrying Begum Meherunnisa. His wife's ancestors migrated from Iran to Balurghat, Ghoraghat during the Mughal period, and moved to Bogra during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb. It was from this marriage that Kamaluddin Mandal inherited land from that landowning family in the village of Bagbari and moved there.

1. Mahmud Mandal: Skin merchant.
2. Zahiruddin Mandal: Landlord.
3. Mazhabuddin Mandal
4. Moazzam Hossain Mandal: Engineer.
5. Mansur Rahman Mandal (died 1966): He was a chemist who specialised in paper and ink chemistry and worked for a government department at Writers' Building in Kolkata. He married Jahanara Khatun.
   1. Rezaur Rahman Mandal, marine engineer
   2. Mizanur Rahman Mandal, economist
   3. Ziaur Rahman (see below)
   4. Ahmad Kamal Mandal (d. 2017)
   5. Khalilur Rahman Mandal (d. 2014): He was a pharmacist based in Maryland and had three daughters.
6. Major Muhammad Mamtazur Rahman Mandal: Medical officer for Pakistan Army
7. Mahfuzur Rahman Mandal: Income tax practitioner
8. Fatema Khatun: Married an SDO under the Maharaja of Cooch Behar
9. Rahima Khatun: Married detective Muhammad Shamsuddin.

Khan Majumdars of Fulgazi

• Murad Khan: He was a Pashtun merchant who arrived to Chittagong in the 17th century, but later moved to Sripur in Fulgazi due to devastating floods in Chittagong. He had four sons: Nahar Muhammad Khan, Tahir Muhammad Khan, Phul Muhammad Khan and Arif Muhammad Khan.

1. Phul Muhammad Khan (son of Murad Khan): He fought under Shamsher Ghazi against the Twipra Kingdom, and gained the title of Ghazi. The area came to be known as Phulgazi, or Fulgazi, after him.
2. Nahar Muhammad Khan (son of Murad Khan): He built a large reservoir in his palace in 1701. To the west of this reservoir, the family built a three-domed mosque which is now known as the Sripur Jami Mosque and continues to be used today. The Maharaja of Tripura signed a peace treaty with Shamsher Gazi and his forces which included Nahar and Phulgazi. The treaty mentioned that Nahar received 80 droṇ of revenue-free land, 14 zamindari mouzas and the title of Majumdar. These 14 mouzas make up the modern-day Fulgazi Upazila.
   1. Azgar Ali Majumdar (eldest of the five sons of Nahar Muhammad Khan): He had five sons named Aqamat Ali Majumdar, Hashmat Ali Majumdar, Bashrat Ali Majumdar, Salamat Ali Majumdar and Mafizul Islam Majumdar
      1. Aqamat Ali Majumdar (son of Azgar Ali Majumdar): He had no sons
      2. Basharat Ali Majumdar (son of Azgar Ali Majumdar): He was a father of two
      3. Hashmat Ali Majumdar (son of Azgar Ali Majumdar): Mazharul Husayn Majumder (son of Hashmat Ali Majumdar): He was also known as Muzzammil Ali Majumdar and became a Sufi pir by the sobriquet of Pir Pagla Dervish (died November 1975).
      4. Mafizul Ali Majumdar (son of Azgar Ali Majumdar): He died before marriage.
      5. Salamat Ali Majumdar (son of Azgar Ali Majumdar): He had five sons; most notably Iskandar Majumdar and Zamshed Hossain Majumdar.
         1. Iskandar Majumder (son of Salamat Ali Majumdar): He was a wealthy tea-businessman who married Begum Taiyaba and migrated to Dinajpur. He had three daughters and two sons.
            1. Shelina Islam: She married Muhammad Rafiqul Islam Chowdhury, was the former vice-chancellor of Islamic University, Bangladesh, professor of economics at the University of Rajshahi and treasurer of Pundra University of Science and Technology.
               1. Muhammad Shahrin Islam Chowdhury (Tuhin), was a former parliamentarian (1996).
               2. Saiful Islam Duke
            2. Khurshid Jahan (1939–2006), former Minister of Women and Children Affairs (2001–2006)
            3. Khaleda Khanam Putul (see below)
            4. Sayeed Iskander Majumdar (1953–2012), former parliamentarian (2001–2006) and founding chairman of Islamic TV
            5. Shamim Iskander Majumdar

2. Zamshed Hossain Majumdar (son of Salamat Ali Majumdar), was a prominent businessman, Social and political leader in Feni District. He died in 1994. He had six sons and four daughters.

1. Late Zakir Hossain Majumdar Chaad- Martyr in 1971 Liberation War. He died before marriage.
2. Zahid Hossain Majumdar Nonaai - Businessman and Politician . He has three sons.
3. Zohirul Quium Majumdar Nantu- Government job holder(ret.), Ex Personal Secretary of Sayeed Iskander (1953–2012), former parliamentarian (2001–2006) and founding chairman of Islamic TV. He has two sons and a daughter.
4. Mainuddin Majumdar Mamun-Businessman, Politician- Died in 2013. He had a daughter and a son who died in 2015.
5. Shamim Hossain Majumdar-Businessman and Ex- Politician. He has two sons.
6. Mohoshin Hossain Majumdar Polash- Govt. job holder. He has two daughters and a son.
7. Selina sultana Laily. She has a son and two daughters.
8. Parvin Akhter. She has two sons and a daughter.
9. Fatema Akhter Lipi. She has a daughter and a son.
10. Khodeja Akhter Gelman. She has three sons and a daughter.

Members of the Majumder-Zia family

• Ziaur Rahman (President of Bangladesh, 1979–1981; freedom fighter and military administrator).
• Begum Khaleda Zia (wife of Ziaur Rahman; Prime Minister of Bangladesh, 1991–1996 and 2001–2006). She is daughter of Taiyaba Majumder and Iskandar Majumder.
  • Tarique Rahman (born 1965): eldest son of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia and Senior Vice-Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party
    • Dr. Zubaida Rahman: wife of Tarique Rahman and daughter of navy chief Mahbub Ali Khan.
      • Zaima Rahman: only daughter of Tarique Rahman and Dr. Zobaida Rahman.
  • Arafat Rahman (1969–2015): youngest son of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia and Former Chairman of the Development Committee of Bangladesh Cricket Board.
    • Sharmila Sithi: wife of Arafat Rahman.
      • Zahia Rahman: eldest daughter of Arafat Rahman and Sharmila Sithi.
      • Zaifa Rahman: youngest daughter of Arafat Rahman and Sharmila Sithi.
• Sayeed Iskander - was a Bangladeshi politician and army major. He was a former member of parliament and brother of Khaleda Zia. He is son of Taiyaba Majumder and Iskandar Majumder.
• Khurshida Jahan - was the Minister of Women's and Children's Affairs of Bangladesh from 2001 to 2006, serving under her sister, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. She is daughter of Taiyaba Majumder and Iskandar Majumder.
• Shahrin Islam Tuhin - is a Bangladeshi politician and former Member of Parliament and Nephew of Khaleda Zia.
• Saiful Islam Duke - is a retired Lieutenant Commander of Bangladesh Navy. He is the nephew of Khaleda Zia.

See also

• Sheikh family
• List of political families