Matia Chowdhury: Difference between revisions

'''Matia Chowdhury''' (born 30 June 1942)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/mps/members-of-parliament/current-mp-s/list-of-11th-parliament-members-english?layout=edit&id=3704|title=Constituency 144_11th_En|website=Bangladesh Parliament|access-date=5 April 2020}}</ref> is a Bangladeshi politician, and the incumbent Member of Parliament from [[Sherpur-2]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/mps/members-of-parliament/current-mp-s/list-of-11th-parliament-members-english |title=List of 11th Parliament Members |website=Bangladesh Parliament |access-date=10 January 2019}}</ref> She is a presidium member of [[Bangladesh Awami League]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.e-bangladesh.org/2008/04/12/motia-chowdhury-queues-to-buy-rice/ |title=Motia Chowdhury queues to buy rice |website=e-Bangladesh |access-date=7 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827211800/http://www.e-bangladesh.org/2008/04/12/motia-chowdhury-queues-to-buy-rice/ |archivedate=27 August 2008 }}</ref> and was the Minister of Agriculture under the prime ministership of [[Sheikh Hasina]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://bdnews24.com/agriculture/2016/04/07/saarc-agricultural-cooperation-gets-new-momentum-bangladesh-minister-matia|title=SAARC agricultural cooperation gets new momentum: Bangladesh Minister Matia|work=bdnews24.com|access-date=10 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-03/cu-mu032916.php|title=$4.8 million USAID grant to strengthen biotechnology partnership, food security in South|website=EurekAlert!|access-date=10 April 2016}}</ref> She held this post twice before from 1996 to 2001 and 2009 to 2013 during the previous tenures of Awami League in power.<ref name=cabinet>{{cite web |url=http://www.cabinet.gov.bd/site/page/c3a1d735-abd6-4655-89ff-9e506d7537d7/Hon'ble-Ministers |title=Hon'ble-Ministers |website=Cabinet Division - Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh}}</ref>

Chowdhury started her political career from her student life. She actively participated in the movement against the Ayub regime and the movement against the Education Commission of 1962. She was elected the Vice-President of Dhaka Eden Girls College Students’ Union in 1963 and the General Secretary of [[Dhaka University Central Students' Union]] (DUCSU) in 1964–65. Chowdhury is well known{{according to whom|date=March 2015}} in [[South Asia]] for her fiery speeches and her adamant attitude, qualities that have earned her the nickname of ''Ogni Konna'' or ''Girl of Fire''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://archive.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2010-06-26/news/73947|script-title=bn:লাগাম টেনে কথা বলবেন, বিশ্বব্যাংককে মতিয়া চৌধুরী|last=|first=|date=|work=Prothom Alo|trans-title=Talking about the twist, Matia Chowdhury told the World Bank|access-date=10 April 2016}}</ref> Although she started her political career with the left-wing [[National Awami Party]], she is now one of the most senior leaders of the Awami League.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2016/03/19/reject-pro-pakistani-line-of-thinking-ht-imam-tells-bnp|title=Reject pro-Pakistani line of thinking: HT Imam tells BNP|work=bdnews24.com|access-date=10 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2016/03/17/prime-minister-awami-league-leaders-pay-homage-to-bangabandhu|title=Prime minister, Awami League leaders pay homage to Bangabandhu|work=bdnews24.com|access-date=10 April 2016}}</ref> She was the president of the then East Pakistan Students’ Union in 1965–66. Between 1967 and 1969 time and again she was organizing anti Ayub movement and was detained in jail for about 2 years. She was released from jail during the mass upsurge of 1969.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pressinform.portal.gov.bd/site/page/773a8ddf-c411-4654-9ba9-d821147e1a40|title=Press Information Department (PID), Government of Bangladesh|website=pressinform.portal.gov.bd|language=en|access-date=19 September 2018}}</ref>

Chowdhury was married to [[Bazlur Rahman (journalist)|Bazlur Rahman]], editor of ''[[The Sangbad]]'', one of the oldest [[Bengali-language]] dailies still in circulation, who died on 26 February 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent-bangladesh.com/200802282493/country/sangbad-editor-bazlur-rahman-dies.html|title=Sangbad editor Bazlur Rahman dies|website=www.independent-bangladesh.com|access-date=10 April 2016}}</ref>