Abul Hossain, who hails from a village in Sylhet, is now the Speaker of the Malaysian Parliament.
Malaysian-born Datuk Syed Abul Hossain, of Bangladeshi descent, currently holds the position of Speaker during a special chamber session of the Malaysian Parliament. His ancestral home is in Jagannathpur, Sunamganj (Bangladesh).
News of the special session held on 18 November, along with confirmation of his appointment as Speaker, was published on the official Facebook page of the Malaysian Parliament.
The session was conducted under his chairmanship in accordance with Rule 17 of the Government Administration Regulations. It was attended by Bukit Gantang MP YB Datoâ Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal and Bangi MP Tuan Syahredzan Johan. Representatives from the Ministry of Housing and Local Government were also present.
Joy has spread among his relatives in Sylhet and the United Kingdom following this achievement. His cousin brother and community leader/imam in Darlington, England, Syed Sabir Ahmad, said: âRising from a Sylheti family to become the Speaker of the Malaysian Parliament is undoubtedly a matter of immense pride. This is a success for the entire Bangladesh and the Bengali nation.â
Abul Hossain was born in 1960 in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia. His father, Syed Abul Fazal, migrated from Syedpur village in Jagannathpur Upazila, Sylhet, to Malaysia in 1955. Even after acquiring Malaysian citizenship, the father instilled in his children a deep pride in their roots.
That sense of identity echoes in one of Abul Hossainâs Facebook posts: âI feel proud to be a descendant of Bengali ancestors.â
Elected as an MP from the Barisan Nasional (BN) party, Abul Hossain previously served as Chairman of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. In recognition of his contributions to the community, the Malaysian government conferred upon him the honorary title of âDatukâ.
This leader of Sylheti descent, who studied Computer Science at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University of Malaysia), has been playing important roles in various ministries for a long time. He remains warmly connected with his relatives. His cousin Sabir Ahmad said that Abul Hossain regularly visits London and Bangladesh and keeps in touch with everyone.
His most recent visit to Sylhet was in 2019. To maintain family ties, he even married his daughter to the son of a Bangladeshi relative.
UK-based journalist and his nephew Syed Zahurul Haque said: âWhenever he comes to London, he always makes time for relatives. His success has made us all proud.â
Sonahar Khan Rashid, President of the Jalalabad Association Malaysia, said: âHe is a shining example of leadership on the international stage by people of Sylheti origin. His success will further boost the confidence of the diaspora.â