His Excellency Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid is the 22nd and current President of Bangladesh. He took oath as President for his first term on 24 April 2013. He was re-elected unopposed for a second term in office and took oath as President again on 24 April 2018. Prior to this position, he served as the Speaker of the National Parliament from January 2009 to April 2013.
Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid was born on 1 January, 1944 in Kamalpur of Mithamoin Upazila under Kishoregonj district. Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid passed his Matriculation from Nikli G.C. High School and both I.A and B.A from Gurudayal College of Kishoregonj. He obtained Bachelor of Law degree from Central Law College under Dhaka University. Afterwards, he started his profession as a lawyer.
Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid joined Chhatra League in 1959 and thereby his political career began. He was imprisoned by the then Pakistan Government in 1962 for his active participation in the student movement and opposing Hamoodur Rahman Education Commission Report. Mr. Hamid was the Founder President of Chhatra League of Kishoregonj Sub-division Unit in 1964 and also elected the Vice-President of Chhatra League of Mymensingh District Unit in 1966-67. He was again imprisoned in 1968 for leading student movement. Towards the end of 1969, he joined Awami League.
In 1971, on being instructed by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he started the movement in Kishoregonj amid tumultuous protest against Pakistani regime to create public opinion in favour of independence. He hoisted the flag of independent Bangladesh in a huge student gathering in Kishoregonj on 17 March 1971. On receiving the historic declaration of independence by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu of 26 March in 1971, he instantly joined the Liberation War.
Mr. Abdul Hamid became the Chairman of Kishoregonj District Relief & Rehabilitation Committee in Independent Bangladesh. In 1974, he was elected Vice-President of Kishoregonj District Awami League. During 1976-1978, Mr. Hamid was imprisoned by the then Military Government after the brutal killing of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He was the President of Kishoregonj District Awami League from 1978 to 2009 and was the President of Kishoregonj District Bar Association for 5 times during the period 1990-96.
In the Pakistan National Assembly Election of 1970, Mr. Hamid was elected the junior-most Member from Mymensingh-18 Constituency. In 1972, he became the Member of Constituent Assembly. He was elected Member of Parliament for several times during elections in 1970, 1973, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2009 as a nominee of Bangladesh Awami League.
Mr. Md Abdul Hamid was unanimously elected the Deputy Speaker in the Seventh Parliament on 13 July 1996 and held the post till 10 July 2001. Later, he became the Speaker of the Parliament on 12 July 2001 and remained so till 28 October 2001. In the Eighth Parliament, he served as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 01 November 2001 to 27 October 2006. Mr. Hamid was elected the Speaker in the Ninth Parliament and served office in this capacity during the period 2009-2013.
As a member of Sustainable Development Committee of Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) from 1997 to 2000 and the member of the Executive Committee of IPU from 2011 to 2013, Mr. Hamid played his due role. He was also a member of the Executive Committee of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) for two terms from 1999 to 2001 and from 2009 to 2012.
Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid became President in-charge on 14 March 2013 as the then President Md. Zillur Rahman was under treatment in Singapore. After the death of Mr. Md. Zillur Rahman on 20 March 2013 in Singapore, Mr. Hamid became Acting President from that day. Later, Mr. Md. Hamid was elected uncontested as the 22nd President of Bangladesh on 22 April 2013. He was sworn into the office of the President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on 24 April 2013.
Mr. Md Abdul Hamid is an ardent social worker and a patron of education and culture. He established a good number of schools, colleges and madrasas in his constituency. He is associated with many other philanthropic institutions.
For his outstanding contribution to the Liberation War, Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid was conferred the Independence Award-2013, the highest award of the country.
Reading books on history and constitutions of different countries are his favorite pastime.
Mr. Hamid is married and a father of three sons and a daughter.
