Former acting president, speaker Jamiruddin Sircar dies at 95

Barrister Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar, a prominent figure in Bangladeshi politics and former acting president, has died at the age of 95. He passed away early today at Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in Shyamoli, Dhaka, while undergoing treatment.

Sircar served as the speaker of the eighth Jatiya Sangsad, Bangladesh's parliament, from October 28, 2001, to January 25, 2009. He also briefly held the position of acting president from June 21 to September 6, 2002, following the resignation of then-president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury.

A founding member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Sircar was a long-standing member of the party's Standing Committee. Throughout his extensive political career, he occupied several significant government positions, including minister for education, law, justice, and parliamentary affairs. He was also elected to parliament multiple times.

Born in Tetulia, Panchagarh, Sircar pursued higher education at Dhaka University, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in history, along with a law degree. He further honed his legal expertise by completing his barrister training at Lincoln's Inn in the United Kingdom before commencing his legal practice.