Shahjahan Omar

Shahjahan Omar
শাহজাহান ওমর
Minister of State for Law, Justice and Parlimemtary Affairs of Bangladesh
In office
7 April 2003 – 29 October 2006
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
Preceded by Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan
Member of the Bangladesh Parliament
for Jhalokati-1
Assumed office
10 January 2024
Preceded by Bazlul Haque Haroon
In office
5 March 1991 – 30 March 1996
Preceded by Jahangir Kabir
Succeeded by Bazlul Haque Haroon
In office
28 October 2001 – 27 October 2006
Preceded by Anwar Hossain Manju
Personal details
Born 24 December 1947
Rajapur, Bakerganj, East Bengal, Pakistan (now, Barisal, Bangladesh)
Political party
Awards Bir Uttom
Military service
Allegiance Pakistan (Before 1971)
Bangladesh
Branch/service Pakistan Army
Bangladesh Army
Years of service 1967 - 1983
Rank Major
Unit Judge Advocate General
Commands
Battles/wars Bangladesh Liberation War

Shahjahan Omar (born 24 December 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician and a former state minister for law. He is retired major of the Bangladesh Army and was awarded Bir Uttom. He is a 4 term Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Jhalokati-1 constituency as a member of Bangladesh Awami League.

Early life

Omar was born on 24 December 1947 to Lalmon Habib (d. 2006). He worked as a barrister. After the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he pledged allegiance to the new government led by Bangladesh Army officers.

Political career

Bangladesh Nationalist Party

Omar was elected to the parliament as a candidate of Bangladesh Nationalist Party from Jhalokati-1 in 2001. He served as the State Minister of Law in the Second Khaleda Cabinet. In 2001 his supporters attacked minority Hindu populations in Jhalakati-1 to intimidate them from voting against him.

On 27 October 2007, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) sued Omar on corruption charges. On 14 May 2008, he was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment by a special court in Dhaka. Bangladesh High Court acquitted him in August 2010. In September 2014, Bangladesh Supreme Court allowed ACC to start the process to appeal the High Court verdict.

Bangladesh Awami League

Omar served as the vice-chairman of BNP. He resigned from the party on 30 November 2023 and, on the same day, earned the nomination from the arch-rival Awami League party to compete as a candidate for the membership of the Jhalokati-1 constituency at the 2024 Bangladeshi general election. Later, he was expelled from all the BNP posts.

Personal life

Omar is married to Mehjabin Farzana Omar, and they have a son, Adnan Omar.