Barrister Md. Jamiruddin Sircar
Upon the resignation of Professor Dr. A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury from Presidency on 21 June 2002, Barrister Md. Jamiruddin Sircar (Speaker of the JS) became the Acting President of the Republic under Article 54 of the Constitution. Although he did not reside at Bangabhaban, he performed the functions of his office from there. He remained Acting President till Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed took over on 6 September 2002.
Md. Jamiruddin Sircar was born on 1 December 1931 at Nayabari under Tetulia upazila of Panchaghar district. His father, Moulvi Ali Baksh, was a jotdar (landed proprietor). His mother's name was Begum Fakhrunnessa. While a resident student of Iqbal Hall (now Sgt. Zahurul Huq Hall) of Dhaka University, he was its vice president. He obtained his M. A. degree in History in 1959 and also earned LL. B. Degree from DU. He was called to the Bar from Lincoln's Inn and started his legal practice at Dhaka HC. He was a member of the Bangladesh Delegation to the UN General Assembly five times from 1977 till 1981. He became a member of the Standing Committee of BNP from the very inception of the Party in 1978. In 1979, he was elected to JS from Panchaghar-1 constituency, and was appointed State Minister for Public Works and Urban Development Ministry. The unfinished work of JS complex was completed during his tenure of office. After Ziaur Rahman's assassination in 1981, President Justice Sattar appointed him State Minister for Foreign Affairs. In 1991 when BNP came to power, Barrister Sircar was appointed State Minister for Land Administration and Land Reforms. Upon vacation of Dhanmondi-Muhammadpur Constituency (Dhaka-9) by Begum Khaleda Zia in 1991, he was elected to JS from that seat. From 1991 till 1996, Barrister Sircar was Minister for Science and Technology and Minister for Education. As a technocrat Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, he introduced and piloted the Non-Party Caretaker Government Bill in the sixth JS in March 1996. He was elected a member of JS from Panchaghar-1 in 1996 and in the 2001 general election. Sircar became Speaker of the eighth JS on 28 October 2001, and was sworn in by President Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed at the President's chamber in JS. He has written a book titled Glimpses of International Law in 1997.
Barrister Sircar is married to Begum Nur Akhtar and has a daughter and two sons.
Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed
Eminent soil scientist and educationist Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed took oath of office as President of the Republic on 6 September 2002. Chief Justice of Bangladesh SC Justice Mainur Reza Chowdhury administered the oath of office to the President-elect. Professor Dr. Iajuddin is the fourth President to be elected by the JS since the restoration of parliamentary system in 1991.
Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed was born on 1 February 1931 and hails from Nayagaon of Munshiganj district. Son of Moulvi Ibrahim Mia, he passed matriculation examination from Munshiganj H. E. School in 1948 and I.Sc. from Haraganga College in 1950. He obtained B. Sc. in 1952 and M. Sc. in 1954, securing First Class from DU. He also did post-graduate studies abroad and received Masters degree in 1958 and Ph. D. in 1962 from Wisconsin University, USA.
He joined DU as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Soil Science in May 1963, became Reader in the same Department in August 1964 and Professor in December 1973. He was Chairman of the Department in 1968-69 and in 1976-79. Professor Iajuddin Ahmed was also Provost of Salimullah Hall from 1975-83. He was elected Dean of Biological Science Faculty for a term of two years, 1989-91. Professor Iajuddin was an elected member of the Senate and Syndicate. As elected President of the DU Teachers� Association (DUTA), he played a leading role against the autocratic regime of General Ershad by organizing the professional groups and thereby earned the admiration of the nation. He was appointed an Advisor to the Interim Government of 1990-91, and held the charge of the Ministry of Food and Culture. Professor Dr. Iajuddin was Chairman of Public Service Commission (PSC), 1991-93; and also Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC), 1995-99.* As a leading member of the civil society, Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed was outspoken in upholding the democratic values of the society. He joined State University as Vice-Chancellor in 2002. Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed has to his credit a large number of research papers, forty-eight of which have so far been published in foreign journals. He has been decorated with Ekusay Padak in 1995 for his contribution in the field of education. He received Ibrahim Gold Medal in 1987-88 and Atish Dipankar Gold Medal in 1990 for outstanding research and publications. Besides English, Bengali and Urdu language, Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed knows Spanish and French reasonably well.
Professor Ahmed is married to educationist Professor Dr. Anwara Begum. She is now the vice-chancellor of a private university - Atish Dipankar University. The university was established as a result of the initiative and patronage of President Iajuddin Ahmed.
Professor Iajuddin is father of three children.
