A. N. M. Ehsanul Hoque Milan

Abu Naser Muhammad Ehsanul Hoque Milan (আবু নাসের মুহাম্মদ এহসানুল হক মিলন) (born 1 January 1957)^[1] is a Bangladeshi politician affiliated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He is the incumbent Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Chandpur-1 constituency and the incumbent minister of primary and mass education since February 2026.^[2] He represented the same constituency from 1996 to 2006 and was the state minister for education from 2001 to 2006 under Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.^[3]

Milan was born in Kachua, Chandpur (then part of Comilla), on 1 January 1957. His father, Obaidul Haque, worked as a government officer, and his mother was Mahmuda Haque. He completed his secondary education at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Government Boys' High School and higher secondary education at Government Intermediate Technical College (now Government Science College).^[4]

Milan earned a chemistry degree from the University of Dhaka. In 1982, Milon moved to the United States and obtained an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology. He served as an adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College and Borough of Manhattan Community College, and worked professionally as a chemist in the pharmaceutical industry. In 2018, he earned a PhD in political science from the International Islamic University Malaysia; his dissertation examined the role of technical and vocational education and training in Bangladesh's socioeconomic development.^[5]

Milan began his political career in the student movement. Elected as Sports Secretary of Fazlul Haque Hall Chhatra Sangsad (student council) in 1978–79 under the Jasad-backed Chhatra League, he later joined Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal and held leadership positions in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1993, BNP leader Khaleda Zia appointed him as international affairs secretary. He also founded and coordinated the BNP-USA chapter until 1996.^[6]

Milan became a parliament member for the first time in the 7th national parliament election held in 1996 from the constituency 260, Chandpur-1, Kachua.^[7] In the election of the 8th national parliament held in 2001, he defeated the Awami League candidate, former minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, by a large margin. Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia appointed Milan as the state minister for education.^[8] After being responsible for Chandpur, he started a movement called Jatka Nidhon Protirodh Andolon (Stop Killing Small Hilsa Fish) on his own initiative.^[9]

Milan won the 2026 Bangladeshi general election contesting at the Chandpur-1 constituency securing 133,032 votes while his nearest opponent Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Abu Nohar Muhammad Makbul Ahmad got 70,368 votes.^[10][11]

After serving in office, Milon faced legal challenges. On 5 June 2012, he secured bail in numerous cases and subsequently traveled abroad.^[12] He returned to Bangladesh in November 2018 and was arrested in Chittagong, accused in as many as 25 cases involving serious charges such as murder, smuggling, and vandalism.^[12] A Chandpur court sent him to jail, and over subsequent months, he was granted bail in many of those cases while some remained unresolved.^[13][14][15]

In recent years, Milon has continued to engage in public discourse and education initiatives. In February 2025, as director of the ADUST Skill Development Institute, he spoke at a workshop urging youth to embrace technology and entrepreneurship in nation-building.^[16]

In May 2025, he publicly criticized the interim government's inefficiency and called for swift elections. Addressing students, he emphasized the importance of balancing activism with academic and moral development.^[17]

Milan is married to Nazmun Nahar Baby.^[4] She a zoology graduate from the University of Dhaka and Computer Information Science (CIS) graduate from the City University of New York (CUNY). She serves as vice-president of the central committee of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Mohila Dal.^[4] They have a daughter, Tanjeeda Nahar Hoque. She graduated in international criminal law from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.^[4]

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