The Sheikh–Wazed family is a prominent Bangladeshi political dynasty, which primarily consists of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina and her descendants. Their political involvement has traditionally revolved around the Bangladesh Awami League.
Family origin
The first Sheikh family member to come to Bengal was Sheikh Awwal. He was originally from Baghdad but settled in Chittagong in the 15th century, after he visited the region to preach Islam. He was married to a Bengali woman from Sonargaon and settled over there with his wife. His son, Sheikh Zahiruddin, married into the Khandakar family of Kandirpar and settled there with his family. He settled in Kolkata with his son Sheikh Jan Mahmud since their wholesale business was based there. Sheikh Jan Mahmud's son, Sheikh Borhanuddin continued to run that wholesale business and eventually shifted back to East Bengal. He married into the Kazi family of Tungipara and permanently settled there. His son was Sheikh Qudratullah who had three sons: Sheikh Abdul Majid, Sheikh Abdul Hamid, and Sheikh Abdul Rashid. Sheikh Abdul Hamid was the father ofSheikh Lutfar Rahman and the paternal grandfather of both Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his wife Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, while Sheikh Abdul Majid was the father of Sheikh Sayera Khatun and the maternal grandfather of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Sheikh Mujib and Begum Mujib's daughter, Sheikh Hasina, married M. A. Wazed in 1968 and adopted his surname, thus introducing the Wazed surname to the Sheikh family. This is how a Baghdadi family evolved from preaching, to merchanting, to politics.
Family tree
Early ancestors
Family of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman and Sheikh Sayera Khatun
Family of Khadijah Hossain Lily and ATM Syed Hossain
Other relatives
Sheikh Abdul Rashid: He was the son of Sheikh Qudratullah, brother of both Sheikh Abdul Majid and Sheikh Abdul Hamid, paternal uncle of both Sheikh Lutfar Rahman and Sheikh Sayera Khatun, and paternal granduncle of both Sheikh Mujib and Begum Mujib. He was given the title of "Khan Saheb" by the erstwhile ruling British.
Sheikh Shahidul Islam: Nephew of Sheikh Fazilatunnesa and cousin of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Shahid Serniabat: He was the nephew of Abdur Rab Serniabat and Sheikh Fazilatunnesa. He was Sheikh Hasina's first-cousin and also her second-cousin. He was killed along with his uncle and cousins in 1975.
