“IF YOUR ACTIONS INSPIRE OTHERS TO DREAM MORE, LEARN MORE, DO MORE AND BECOME MORE, YOU ARE A LEADER” – JOHN Q. ADAMS
Nahim Razzaq (born February 7, 1981) is a politician and a member of parliament from Bangladesh Awami League. He has been elected for the 3rd time as a member of parliament at the Bangladesh National Parliament from Shariatpur 3 constituency after the death of his father late Abdur Razzaq, a freedom fighter, former minister (Ministry of Water Resources 1996-2001) and a national leader who has been elected 6 times from this constituency. Nahim is one of the youngest parliamentarian who promotes the vision of the Hon. Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina MP – YOUTH IN NATION BUILDING and heads the National Youth Platform, YOUNG BANGLA as the Convenor. He also advocates as a youth voice under the leadership of the Hon. Advisor to the Prime Minister on ICT, Sajeeb Wazed to achieve the vision of the country towards VISION 2021 and DIGITAL BANGLADESH. Nahim has been honoured to be the Co-Chair of UNYSAB (United Nations Youth and Students Association of Bangladesh) due to his work in the National Youth Policy during his tenure as the member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Nahim is also engaged in addressing climate change issues as the Convenor of CLIMATE PARLIAMENT BANGLADESH. He has served in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Management and have played an integrated part of establishing the National Disaster Action Plan. Nahim is also an advisor of E-CAB (E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh) and have played a vital role in the formation of the association.
Nahim was born on 7th February 1981, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, son of Farida Razzaq and Abdur Razzaq. Father being a National Leader, Abdur Razzaq, one of the foremost organisers (Mukib Bahini) of the Liberation War of 1971, Veteran Member of Parliament, former two times General Secretary, Presidium Member, Advisor of Bangladesh Awami League and former Minister of Water Resources (1996-2001) and one of the leading advocate against War Criminals of 1971. Farida Razzaq is a philanthropist, promoting education and entrepreneurship. She is a successful entrepreneur besides being a lovely and caring mother to her two sons.
Nahim is married to Maleya Hossain, a teacher and an entrepreneur is involved with her successful family businesses. Father of two lovely sons, Zayyaf and Zohaar.
Being born into a political family, Nahim always had an interest in contributing for the betterment of the society. His family values fueled his passion to get involved with various social welfare activities and on the day of 21st August 2004 when an organized assassination attack was carried out targeting the top leadership of Bangladesh Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue, Dhaka at a rally, where his father was badly injured with burns and splinters. Nahim decided to quit his job in London and come back to Bangladesh to be beside his family and to uphold his beliefs of BENGALI NATIONALISM, DEMOCRACY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, SECULARISM, the four principles on which Bangladesh was liberated as an independent state.
Nahim’s career in main stream politics seemed assured since birth yet it took him a lot longer to believe that reality. Spending more than a decade of his student life abroad, he had, at one point, actually considered not getting involved in politics at all. At one given point Nahim remembers a friend and an advisor of his father criticizing his less-than concerned stance about the state of Bangladesh. He remembers the statement, “IT IS EASY TO CRITISISE BUT WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO BE A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY; IT IS BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT OTHER LESS QUALIFIED WILL BE IN POLITICS. IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THINGS, FIRST MAKE THAT CHANGE HAPPEN FROM YOUR END”, a statement Nahim still remembers.
As like his father, who was a stronge believer of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Nahim has stronge believes in the ability of his party leader, the party President and the Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to lead Bangladesh into becoming a middle income country by 2021 through her plans of VISION 2021.
MY GREATEST STRENGTH IS THE LOVE FOR MY PEOPLE, MY GREATEST WEAKNESS IS THAT I LOVE THEM TOO MUCH – BANGABANDHU SHEIKH MUJIBUR RAHMAN, FATHER OF THE NATION
Nahim shares the passion of the Honourable ICT Adviser to the Prime Minister, the grand son of the Father of the Nation, Sajeeb Wazed Joy in the dream of DIGITAL BANGLADESH. He shares and beliefs in the concept “YOUTH IN NATION BUILDING”, which is why Nahim has taken upon himself as an advocate, a voice for the YOUTH.
Nahim was born on 7th February 1981 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He was born to the former 2 times General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League and a former minister late Abdur Razzaq and philanthropist Mrs. Farida Razzaq. Besided being a veteran member of parliament, his father was a national leader being one the four sector commanders of the Bangladesh Liberation Force during the 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh. His father was also a presidium member and later advisor of oldest political party Bangladesh Awami League. Abdur Razzaq was also one of the leading advocates against War Criminals of the liberation war. Farida Razzaq is an entrepreneur involved in promoting education and social justice.
Nahim started education in several reputed educational institutions in Bangladesh, India, United Kingdom. He started his education in Government Laboratory High School, Dhaka, Bangladesh and went on to finishing his secondary education at St. Pauls School, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. He completed his higher secondary with distinction from the prestigious school Mayo College, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India. He complete his Under-graduation from Middlesex University, London, United Kingdom with higher 2:1 distinction on double majors on Business and Marketing. He late completed his Post Graduated Diploma from Kingston University, Surrey, United Kingdom on Marketing. He is a qualified CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) and have 2 years of working experience as a marketing executive in the United Kingdom.
Nahim is involved with various Youth related activities. Is the founding Convener of the National Youth Platform called YOUNG BANGLA (www.youngbangla.org) , which is an initiative of CRI (Centre for Research and Information), a Think Tank to promote the positive youth of Bangladesh, to integrate and act as the Youth Voice in Policy Level.
As being a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Youth and Sports, Nahim is the DRIVER of the NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY which was form in 2016 in conjunction with Department of Youth Development, CRI, UNFPA and Young Bangla.
Nahim is also involved with various Youth Led initiatives to promote and inspire and encourage the youth of Bangladesh to achieve their dreams and contribute to the betterment of the society as RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS. Nahim firmly believes in Secular principles as such is very vocal against Islamic Fundamentalism and promotes an initiatives that deals with the secular ideologies in Bangladesh. Nahim is also involved in initiatives to promote Entrepreneurship, Networking, Innovation and Technology for the youth. One of the core aspect of interest for Nahim is Population Development hence advocates for Gender Rights, rights to have Education and Healthcare amongst Teens in collaboration with UNFPA programmes.
Nahim is also an advocate for promoting entrepreneurship through his active role as the Adviser for Ecommerce Association of Bangladesh (E-CAB) and other forums where Youth integration is of outmost importance.
Nahim believes in protecting the Planet hence is the Convener of CLIMATE PARLIAMENT BANGLADESH since 2014 to not only create awareness the effects of Climate Change in Bangladesh and on Global context but also to promote the usage of Renewable Energy as the alternative source of Energy production in Bangladesh.
Nahim is engaged in other initives to INSPIRE the way the Youth have inspired him to work hard to build a better Bangladesh.
Nahim is also an sports enthusiast hence is always inloved with sports and in the process of promoting the sports in Bangladesh.
In 2004, on the day of the 21st August assassination attempt on the President and the top top leadership of the largest and the oldest political party of Bangladesh the Bangladesh Awami League where Nahim’s father, late national leader Abdur Razzaq was injured, Nahim gave up his passion for Marketing in London and came back to be actively involved in politics and social movements. In 2008, after the 9th National General Election his father began to lose health hence Nahim took charge of his father’s constituency actively. After the unfortunate demise of the people’s beloved Abdur Razzaq on 23rd December 2011 while undergoing treatment in London, the seat of Shariatpur-3 became void. Bangladesh Awami League nominated Nahim from that constituency hence he was elected Member of Parliament for the 1st time. Nahim again became elected for the 2nd term in the 5th January 2014 National General Election.
Dedicated to the legacy, Nahim ever since dedicated him time, mind and energy for the people of his constituency as active parliamentarian in the National Parlaiment. He has built up strong connection between himself and the ordinary people of Shariatpur District, working hard to achive the dream of the Father and the Nation, his mentor Sheikh Hasina (Party President) and his father’s dream of a Prosperous, Secular and Progressive Bangladesh