Bobby Hajjaj (born 7 April 1978) is a Bangladeshi politician. He is the incumbent State Minister of Primary and Mass Education and a Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Dhaka-13 constituency since February 2026. Hajjaj is the founder of the political party Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM). He contested from Bangladesh Nationalist Party for the 2026 election, where he won the Dhaka-13 seat.
Bobby Hajjaj was born on 7 April 1978 to Bengali family in Dacca, Bangladesh, where he was raised. His father, Moosa Bin Shamsher, is a business tycoon regarded as the founder of the labor export industry, which along with the readymade garments export industry, have been the bastion of Bangladesh's economic success. The family are originally from the village of Qazikanda in Faridpur District. His grandfather, Shamsher Ali Mollah, was a graduate of the University of Calcutta and an education officer in Faridpur during British rule. Hajjaj's paternal forefathers were Mullahs, Islamic preachers, by vocation. Hajjaj's mother, Kaniz Fatema Chowdhury, was the daughter of Abu Naser Chowdhury, the final Zamindar of Dulai in Pabna District. His maternal forefathers had migrated from Samarkand, Turkestan in the 18th century. Hajjaj has two siblings. His sister Nancy Zahara is an entrepreneur and married to Sheikh Fazle Fahim of the Sheikh family of Tungipara.
Hajjaj completed his initial schooling from Maple Leaf International School. He pursued higher education overseas, graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in the 1990s with a degree in political science. During his undergraduate years, he wrote for the university's student newspaper, he also worked in multiple state senate and gubernatorial election campaigns. He later advanced his academic journey by earning an MBA from the University of Oxford . After graduation, he worked in the financial industry in the US for a year before returning to Bangladesh. Upon return, he started work in business development and became a regular op-ed contributor to a few national English dailies, which included The Daily Star.
From 2003, onward, he spent three years mostly outside Bangladesh engaged in business development and strategy consultancy in the US, Europe, and the Middle East.
Since late 2009, Hajjaj has been stationed in Bangladesh. After his return, he worked as a lecturer and researcher in business strategy at North South University, and as a columnist with The Independent, until late 2013. Currently, he contributes to the op-ed column in Dhaka Tribune, speaking on social and political issues. In late 2015, he launched a citizen empowerment movement ShopnerDesh through which he worked with youth all over the nation on issues including education, mass urbanization, and radicalism of youth.
On 21 March 2015, Hajjaj declared his mayoral candidacy for the April North Dhaka City Corporation polls as an independent candidate. "I am declaring myself an independent candidate for the upcoming Dhaka North City Corporation polls as it is a non-partisan election. I was born in Faridpur. So, I want to take care of the capital," said Hajjaj while announcing his candidacy. He withdrew from the race on 9 April.
In 2017, Hajjaj founded the Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM), with a view to returning the power of government to the hands of the citizenry. The party describes itself as a broad based party that practices inclusive politics and champions democracy and citizen's rights, and our inherent national values. NDM stands on the four pillars of Bangladeshi nationalism, religious values, spirit of independence, and accountable democracy, and aims to build the nation of the people's dreams and to fulfill the dreams of Bangladesh's valiant freedom fighters.
Hajjaj resigned and left NDM and joined BNP and ran a successful election campaign for his nomination as MP in Dhaka-13 constituency in the 13th parliamentary election.
Hajjaj is known for preaching tolerance and practicing non-violent politics. He has spoken out against the violent nature of Bangladeshi politics on national television. He has urged his political opponents from both Awami League and BNP to rise above their ideological differences and work collectively to build a better Bangladesh.
Hajjaj is married to Bangladeshi barrister, Rashna Imam. Together, they have two daughters.