Bobby Hajjaj

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.^[9] 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.^[10] Hajjaj has two siblings. His sister Nancy Zahara is an entrepreneur and married to Sheikh Fazle Fahim, son of Sheikh Selim from the Sheikh family of Tungipara.^[11]

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.^[12] 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.^[13]

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. ^{[citation needed]}

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,^[14] 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.^[15] 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.^[16]

Hajjaj is married to Bangladeshi barrister, Rashna Imam. Together, they have two daughters.^[26]

1. In January 2018, Bobby Hajjaj claimed that a political alliance was forming between former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad and BNP leader Tarique Rahman. He stated that such an alliance would reshape Bangladesh’s political landscape.^[27] The comment was widely criticized by political analysts and media outlets, who described it as unrealistic and misleading. Supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government also condemned the statement, calling it irresponsible. The incident sparked debate about Hajjaj’s political positioning and drew significant media attention.
2. In May 2026, Hajjaj drew criticism after describing Dhaka University as a "coaching centre" during a podcast interview with Sameer Ahmed. He alleged that the university produced little original research and claimed some publications were plagiarisedThe remarks sparked condemnation from Dhaka University teachers, students, and pro-BNP platforms such as the Sada Dal, who called the comments "deeply disrespectful and irresponsible".^[28][29]Following widespread backlash, Hajjaj issued a statement on his verified Facebook page retracting the remarks. He clarified that the comments were made informally and did not represent the government’s official position, expressing regret for the misunderstanding and reaffirming respect for Dhaka University’s history and contributions.^[30]

Bobby Hajjaj has authored several books, essays, and academic articles on politics, society, and identity in Bangladesh.^[31]