A worker in a coal mine in Breza, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sirotanović became famous when he beat another "model worker", Soviet miner Aleksei Stakhanov, in a coal mining contest, in the process setting a coal mining world record.

As Yugoslavia was in political confrontation (see: Tito-Stalin split) with the Soviet Union around the time of the contest, his accomplishment was widely praised and publicised by the Communist Party of Yugoslavia. Tito is said to have offered to fulfill any wish Sirotanović had, but all Alija is reported to have requested was a bigger shovel. Tito granted his wish, and the larger shovel that was designed for him was later named after him: Sirotanovićka. The state also built him a new house in his village Trtorići. In 1987 Zabranjeno Pušenje recorded a song titled "Srce, ruke i lopata" ("Heart, Hands and a Shovel"), paying tribute to Comrade Alija, the model of a hard working, modest man.