Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu

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Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu
আখতারুজ্জামান চৌধুরী বাবু
Member of Parliament
In office
2009–2012
Preceded bySarwar Jamal Nizam
Succeeded bySaifuzzaman Chowdhury
ConstituencyChittagong-12
In office
1991–1995
Preceded byMokhtar Ahmad
Succeeded bySarwar Jamal Nizam
ConstituencyChittagong-12
In office
1986–1988
Preceded byShahadat Hossain Chowdhury
Succeeded byMokhtar Ahmad
ConstituencyChittagong-12
Personal details
Born(1945-05-01)1 May 1945
Chittagong, British India
Died4 November 2012(2012-11-04) (aged 67)
Singapore
NationalityBangladeshi
Political partyBangladesh Awami League
Children6

Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu (1 May 1945 – 4 November 2012) was a Bangladesh Awami League politician and a former Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Chittagong-12 constituency. He was awarded Independence Award in 2021 posthumously.[1] He was also the principal accused of the murder of businessman Humayun Zahir and was infamous for his role in capturing United Commercial Bank Ltd putting the board members at gunpoint.[2]

Early life[edit]

Babu was born on 1 May 1945. He was elected to East Pakistan provincial assembly from Anwara-West Patia in 1970.[3] He was involved with Bangladesh Chhatra League as a student. During Bangladesh Liberation war, he organized Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra in Chittagong.[4]

Career[edit]

Babu was elected to Parliament on in 1986, 1991, and 2008 from Chittagong-12 as a Bangladesh Awami League candidate. He was made the president of the South Chittagong District unit of the Awami League in 1977, a position held till his death. He was the founder and chairman of United Commercial Bank Ltd and Aramit Group. He served as the president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry. He was the chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Textiles and Jute.[3][4]

Criminal charges[edit]

Akhtaruzzaman was the principal accused in the murder case of businessman Humayun Zahir who was killed after a feud over the control of United Commercial Bank Limited board arose on 8 April 1993. He was ousted from the board on charges of defalcation and irregularities. He was later arrested but after being released on bail, he left the country. He returned to the country in 1996 after Awami League formed the government and Sheikh Hasina became Prime Minister. He was a close confidante of Sheikh Hasina and was serving as the industry and commerce secretary of the Awami League then.[5]

On 26 August 1999 he stormed the bank with around 40 armed cadres led by his son Saifuzzaman Chowdhury when a board meeting was underway. They forced the chairman Zafar Ahmed Chowdhury and the other board members of the bank to submit their resignation from the board at gunpoint and declared himself the chairman of the bank's board. It is alleged that his hired thugs assaulted the board members and stripped the chairman of the bank naked.[6]

Achievement[edit]

Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu organized the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra in Chittagong. He also founded United Commercial Bank Limited and made it one of Bangladesh's most successful banks. Late Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu was awarded the "Independence Award 2021" for his tremendous contribution in the war 1971, the highest civilian award given by the government of Bangladesh. [7]

Death[edit]

Babu died on 4 November 2012 from kidney complications at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.[4][8] The Muradpur-Lalkhan Bazar flyover has been named Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury flyover in his memory.[9][10] His daughter, Roxana Zaman, is a director of United Commercial Bank.[11]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 10 named for Independence Award 2021, New age, 7 March 2021
  2. ↑ "Official accused of storming bank in Bangladesh". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Akhtaruzzaman Babu MP dies". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Akhtaruzzaman passes away". The Daily Star. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  5. ↑ "Official accused of storming bank in Bangladesh". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  6. ↑ "Lessons from three black chapters of the banking sector". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  7. ↑ Mahmud, Arshad (10 March 2021). "Officially Details About Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu". Website. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "Awami League MP Akhtaruzzaman passes away". The Daily Ittefaq. 4 November 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  9. ↑ "Muradpur flyover to be opened by next week". The New Nation. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  10. ↑ "New MPs also to 'dodge' tax". The Daily Star. 29 September 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  11. ↑ "Mrs. Roxana Zaman - United Commercial Bank (UCB)". Mrs. Roxana Zaman - United Commercial Bank (UCB). Retrieved 2022-01-31.
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