# U Sultan Ahmed (1901 – 1981)

> Parliamentary secretary and politician · Maungdaw, Arakan

- Known for: Parliamentary secretary and politician
- Born: 1901, Thay Chaung Village (Balukhali, Maungdaw), Arakan
- Died: 2 March 1981
- Place: Maungdaw, Arakan
- Fields: Politics, Law
- Page: https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-sultan-ahmed/

## Summary

A Rohingya lawyer and politician from Maungdaw, Arakan, who was elected to the Legislature of Burma for Maungdaw in 1947, one of the first Rohingya members of the national legislature. After independence he served in the constituent assembly, was elected to the Union Parliament in 1951, 1956 and 1960, and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Minorities with the rank of Deputy Minister. He also served on the Arakan sub-committee of the Justice Sir Ba Oo Commission on the question of Arakanese statehood.

## What he did

- **1901** — Born in Thay Chaung Village (Balukhali, Maungdaw), the son of Maulana Akram Uddin.
- **1924 – 29** — Earned a B.A. from the University of Calcutta (1924) and a Bachelor of Law from Rangoon University (1929).
- **British rule** — Worked as a lawyer and magistrate under the British administration, serving as Higher-Grade Pleader, Assistant Township Officer and First Class Magistrate.
- **1947** — Entered politics and was elected to the Legislature of Burma for Maungdaw, one of the first Rohingya members of the national legislature.
- **1951 – 60** — After serving in the Burmese constituent assembly following independence, he was elected to the Union Parliament in 1951, 1956 and 1960.
- **Deputy minister** — Appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Minorities, with the rank and status of a Deputy Minister, and advocated for Rohingya rights and regional development.
- **Statehood** — Served on the Arakan sub-committee of the Justice Sir Ba Oo Commission, which recommended the creation of a Ministry of Arakan Affairs and an Arakan Affairs Council.
- **1962** — The military coup ended democratic governance, and with it his efforts to ensure minority inclusion in Burma's political framework.
- **1981** — Died on 2 March.

## Biography: Among the first Rohingya in Burma's legislature

U Sultan Ahmed was a prominent Rohingya politician from Maungdaw, Arakan, and one of the longest-serving legislators from the region. Born in 1901 in Thay Chaung Village (Balukhali, Maungdaw), he was the son of Maulana Akram Uddin. He completed his education with a B.A. from the University of Calcutta (1924) and a Bachelor of Law from Rangoon University (1929), preparing him for a distinguished career in law and public service.

Ahmed began his professional life as a lawyer and magistrate, serving as Higher-Grade Pleader, Assistant Township Officer, and First Class Magistrate under the British administration. He entered politics in 1947, elected to the Legislature of Burma representing Maungdaw, becoming one of the first Rohingya members of the national legislature. After independence, he served in the Burmese constituent assembly and was repeatedly elected to the Union Parliament (1951, 1956, 1960). He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Minorities, holding the rank and status of Deputy Minister, and played a key role in advocating for Rohingya rights and regional development.

Ahmed also contributed to the question of Arakanese statehood, serving on the Arakan sub-committee of the Justice Sir Ba Oo Commission, which recommended the creation of a Ministry of Arakan Affairs and an Arakan Affairs Council. He led efforts to ensure minority inclusion in Burma’s political framework until the 1962 military coup ended democratic governance.

U Sultan Ahmed passed away on 2 March 1981, remembered as a pioneering Rohingya leader whose work bridged his community with the national government and set a precedent for political representation in Arakan.

## Sources

- Khan, Raja Afsar. (1984). The Concept. p. 31.
- Arakan Magazine. (2011, March). Arakan Magazine.
- Arakan Rohingya National Organisation. (2009, September). Arakan: News and Analysis of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation, Arakan (Burma). Burmalibrary.org.
- Arakanese Political Activities from 1948 to 1962. (n.d.). Archived source.

## Photographs

- ![A poster with his portrait and a short printed biography.](https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/u-sultan-ahmed-2.webp) A poster with his portrait and a short printed biography. (Facebook post by Pro Myo Lin, 15 May 2024 (poster credited @mayyukhan))

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From Rohingya Famous People, https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-sultan-ahmed/ (updated 2026-11-04)