TBM Report
Professor Dr. Jahanara Laizu, daughter of former Member of Parliament Alhaj Md. Mosharraf Hossain Mongu, is being discussed as a potential nominee for a reserved women’s seat in the Jatiya Sangsad from Barishal-3 (Muladi–Babuganj). A physician and academic by profession, she has long been associated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Currently serving as Vice Principal and Professor of Pharmacology at Uttara Adhunik Medical College, Dr. Laizu remains active in both her professional and political roles. She holds the position of Joint Secretary (Women’s Affairs) of the central committee of the Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) and is also President of the DAB unit at Uttara Adhunik Medical College. In addition, she is a member of the BNP’s Muladi Upazila unit and a foundation member of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation.
Raised in a politically active family, Dr. Laizu followed in the footsteps of her father, who was elected multiple times from the Barishal-3 constituency and served as a member of the BNP’s National Executive Committee. From her student days, she was involved with Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and JASAS, the party’s affiliated organizations. Her husband, Professor Dr. S. M. Khalid Mahmud Shakil, is a former president of the Sher-e-Bangla Medical College unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and previously served as Deputy Director of Dhaka Shishu Hospital.
Dr. Laizu stated that she actively participated in the 1990 mass uprising, performing protest songs as a JASAS artist. She also claimed to have provided medical treatment to injured individuals during recent political movements and to have supported injured BNP leaders and activists over the years. According to her, these activities led to challenges and pressure during the tenure of the previous Awami League government.
Academically, she completed her MBBS from Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and later earned an MPhil in Pharmacology. Beyond medicine and politics, she has also been active in cultural fields. She was once an enlisted artist of Bangladesh Television and received a national-level award in Rabindra Sangeet.
Speaking about her aspirations for the reserved women’s seat, Dr. Laizu emphasized that politics should focus on serving people. Drawing on her experience as a physician, she noted that limited access to quality primary healthcare remains one of the most pressing challenges for marginalized communities. Strengthening primary healthcare services at the upazila and union levels, she said, would significantly reduce the burden on district and tertiary hospitals.
She identified maternal and child health, immunization programs, and nutrition services as priority areas. Ensuring adequate numbers of doctors and nurses, along with sufficient medicine supplies at rural health centers, is also essential, she added. If elected to parliament, she intends to prioritize strengthening the primary healthcare system, formulating pro-poor health policies, and improving access to healthcare services for women.
There are 50 reserved seats for women in the Jatiya Sangsad. Party sources indicate that the BNP is expected to secure the largest share, with discussions suggesting it may receive up to 35 of those seats. In this context, Dr. Jahanara Laizu’s name is reportedly under serious consideration at both local and central levels as a prospective nominee from Barishal-3.
