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A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury

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A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury
একিউএম বদরুদ্দোজা চৌধুরী
Chowdhury in 1993
12th President of Bangladesh
In office
14 November 2001 – 21 June 2002
Prime MinisterKhaleda Zia
Preceded byShahabuddin Ahmed
Succeeded byMuhammad Jamiruddin Sircar (acting)
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
10 October 2001 – 14 November 2001
Prime MinisterKhaleda Zia
Preceded byLatifur Rahman
Succeeded byMorshed Khan
2nd Deputy Prime Minister of Bangladesh
In office
15 April 1979 – 23 August 1979
PresidentZiaur Rahman
Prime MinisterShah Azizur Rahman
Preceded byPosition created
Succeeded byJamal Uddin Ahmad
1st General Secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Party
In office
1979–1981
ChairmanZiaur Rahman
Preceded byPosition established[1]
Succeeded byNurul Islam Shishu
Personal details
Born(1930-10-11)11 October 1930
Comilla, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died5 October 2024(2024-10-05) (aged 93)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Political partyBikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (2004–2024)
Other political
affiliations		Bangladesh Nationalist Party (1978–2002)
Four Party Alliance (2001–2003)
SpouseHasina Warda Chowdhury
ChildrenMahi B. Chowdhury
Parent
Alma mater
Awards Independence Day Award

Abdul Qasim Mohammad Badruddoza Chowdhury[2] (/bʌdˌruːdoʊˈzɑː ˈtʃoʊdri/ ⓘ; 11 October 1930 – 5 October 2024) was a Bangladeshi politician who served as the President of Bangladesh from 14 November 2001 until his resignation on 21 June 2002.[3] He was the founding secretary-general of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).[4]

Chowdhury was also a physician, cultural activist, author, essayist, playwright, television presenter, and an orator of distinction.[3] He was awarded the National Television Award in 1976.

Early life

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Badruddoza Chowdhury was born in his maternal grandfather's house in Comilla on 11 October 1930.[5][6][3] His grandfather's home is in Majidpur Dayhata, Srinagar, Bikrampur (now Munshiganj District).[3] His father, Kafiluddin Chowdhury, was the general secretary of the United Front serving as a minister in the United Front provincial cabinet of the then East Pakistan and an Awami League leader. His mother was Sufia Khatun. Badruddoza passed his SSC from St Gregory's School in 1947 and HSC from Dhaka College in 1949.[7] He earned his MBBS degree from Dhaka Medical College in 1954–1955.

Medical career

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Chowdhury started his career in the medical profession. He served as an associate professor of medicine in Rajshahi Medical College in 1964 and Sir Salimullah Medical College during 1964–1970 and professor of medicine in Sylhet Medical College in 1970.[3] He served as the president of National Anti-Tuberculosis Association of Bangladesh (NATAB), president of International Union Against Tuberculosis of Lung Diseases (IUATLD) of Asia Pacific Zone.[3]

Political career

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Being inspired by Ziaur Rahman, the founder chairman of the party, Badruddoza entered into politics as the secretary general of the BNP during its early years. He won the parliament election of 1979 as a BNP nominee from Munshiganj and served as cabinet minister during the years 1979–1982. When the BNP again won parliamentary elections in 1991, after a short stint as Education and Cultural Affairs Minister (from 20 March 1991 until 19 September 1991), he was appointed Deputy Leader of the House of Bangladesh parliament.[8]

Presidency

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Chowdhury was appointed the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh when the BNP party came to power in 2001. In November 2001, he was elected the President of Bangladesh by Jatiya Sangsad members. Seven months later the incident of him deciding not to visit BNP founder Ziaur Rahman's grave on his death anniversary provoked the party members. They accused him of betraying the party. In June 2002, Chowdhury resigned from office as was asked by the ruling party before the situation could turn any murkier.

Bikalpa Dhara

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Chowdhury felt the need of a third force in the de facto two-party democracy in Bangladesh. He expressed recruiting civil society members in politics to fight corruption and terrorism and establish good governance in the country through an alternate stream (lit. Bikalpa Dhara) political party.[9] He, along with his son Mahi B. Chowdhury and BNP parliamentarian M A Mannan resigned from the BNP to work for the new political party. Chowdhury was the president, with M A Mannan as the secretary-general of the new party, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, formed in March 2004. It had been a strong critic of the government during the time, and most of its members defected from the ruling BNP.[9]

For a brief period Chowdhury joined with senior statesman Oli Ahmed. Along with various senior ministers from the BNP cabinet they formed the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Bangladesh. This did not last and Chowdhury decided to come out of LDP and concentrate his efforts on reviving Bikalpa Dhara.

Chowdhury has been the party's president since its inception, except for a brief period between December 2008[10][11] and April 2009,[12] during which time he had resigned from his post after the party could secure no seats during the 9th parliament elections.[11]

Personal life and death

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Chowdhury was married to Hasina Warda Chowdhury.[13] Together they had a son, Mahi B. Chowdhury, and two daughters, Muna and Shaila.[13]

Chowdhury died from a lung infection at the Medical College for Women and Hospital on 5 October 2024, at the age of 93.[14][15][16]

References

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  1. ^ "Intra-Party Democracy in Bangladesh: A Study of AL and BNP'S General Secretary/ Secretary General Elections – South Asia Journal". Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  2. ^ "Biographical Encyclopedia of Pakistan". 1972. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury". Banglapedia. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  4. ^ Habib, Haroon. "The sacking of a President". Frontline. The Hindu Group. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  5. ^ "৯৩ বছরে সাবেক রাষ্ট্রপতি বি. চৌধুরী". banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 11 October 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  6. ^ Ex-president Badruddoza Chowdhury hospitalised
  7. ^ Moshiul Alam (9 December 2012). আপস-সমঝোতা ছাড়া গণতন্ত্র হয় না [Democracy is not without compromise.]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 10 December 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  8. ^ "শিক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয়". moedu.gov.bd (in Bengali). Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  9. ^ a b "RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE". Refugee Review Tribunal, AUSTRALIA. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  10. ^ "Badruddoza, Mannan resign from party posts". The Daily Star. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  11. ^ a b "Badruddoza resigns Bikalpadhara presidency". bdnews24.com. 31 December 2008. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  12. ^ "Badruddoza Chowdhry becomes BDB chief again". The Daily Star. 9 April 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  13. ^ a b "Khaleda visits ailing B Chowdhury". bdnews24.com. 18 February 2014.
  14. ^ সাবেক রাষ্ট্রপতি বদরুদ্দোজা চৌধুরী আর নেই (in Bengali)
  15. ^ Ex-president Badruddoza Chowdhury dies at 93
  16. ^ Former president of Bangladesh AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury dies
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