Jamilur Reza Choudhury: Difference between revisions

{{More citations needed|date=April 2020}}

{{short description|Bangladeshi civil engineer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}

| birth_date          = {{Birth date|df=y|1942|11|15}}

| death_date          = {{Death date and age |2020|4|28 |1942|11|15 |df=y}}

Choudhury was born in [[Sylhet]] (during British colonial rule) on 15 November 1943. His father, Abid Reza Choudhury (1905–1991), was a civil engineer who had migrated to Dhaka in 1952 (after the [[Partition of India]]) from Rangauty, a rural area of [[Hailakandi]] ([[Assam]], India). Abid was the first Muslim to graduate from [[Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur|Bengal Engineering and Science University]], in 1929.  His mother, Hayatun Nessa Choudhury (née Laskor) (1922–2010) was a homemaker, from the Nitainagar area of Hailakandi. Jamilur is the middle child of five siblings.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

Choudhury was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering (Honoris Causa) by Manchester University on 20 October 2010 – the first person of Bangladeshi origin to receive this honor from a British University.<ref name="uap">{{cite web |title=Profile of Prof. Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury |url=http://uap-bd.edu/Prof.Dr.JRCprofile.html |website=University of Asia Pacific |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330005333/http://uap-bd.edu/Prof.Dr.JRCprofile.html |archive-date=30 March 2013 |access-date=18 December 2013}}</ref>

Immediately after publication of results of BSC Engineering, he joined as a faculty member of the former East Pakistan University of Engineering and Technology (EPUET) pending formal appointment. In November 1963, he formally joined as a lecturer the Department of Civil Engineering and began his long teaching career. In September 1964 he was awarded a scholarship by Burmashell to pursue MS in structural engineering. His thesis was on "Cracks in Concrete Beam using Computer-Aided Design". In 1968, he was conferred a Ph.D. degree on the topic of "Shear Wall & Structural Analysis of High rise Building". After completing Ph.D. he returned to former East Pakistan in 1968 and joined the former East Pakistan University of Engineering & Technology as an assistant professor until the demise of East Pakistan and the birth of a new nation, Bangladesh. In 1973 he was promoted to associate professor of Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET) and in 1976 a full professor. In 1975, he was offered a Nuffield scholarship to pursue a post-doctoral Fellowship at Surrey University in the UK. Until 2001 he was working as a Professor at BUET. He was also entrusted with developing a "Computer Center" at BUET and was appointed the director for about 10 years. He served as vice-chancellor of BRAC University between 2001 and 2010.<ref>[http://www.samakal.com.bd/print_news.php?news_id=44988&pub_no=242 BRAC University Move] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120910143257/http://www.samakal.com.bd/print_news.php?news_id=44988&pub_no=242 |date=10 September 2012 }} The Daily Samakal</ref> Choudhury was appointed the chairman of the task force for developing Software Export & IT Infrastructure in Bangladesh from 1997 to 2000 under the Ministry of Commerce. He was a ranking member of the Prime Minister's Task Force on developing Digital Bangladesh. Besides he was involved with several local and international organizations.

He was working as the vice-chancellor of the [[University of Asia Pacific]] (UAP).<ref>{{Cite news |script-title=bn:এশিয়া প্যাসিফিকের উপাচার্যের দায়িত্বে জামিলুর রেজা চৌধুরী|url=http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2012-05-03/news/254613 |work=Prothom Alo |language=bn |access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref> Under his intellectual leadership, University of Asia Pacific is now regarded as one of the most respected universities in Bangladesh. He was the Technical Adviser of Padma bridge.<ref name="uap" /> He was the president of [[Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad]] Committee.

* Jica Recognition Award <ref>{{cite news |title=Prof Jamilur Reza gets Jica award |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/prof-jamilur-reza-gets-jica-award/ |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=11 December 2013}}</ref>

|newspaper=The Daily Star |date=5 February 2016 |access-date=5 November 2016}}</ref>

Choudhury died on 28 April 2021 following a heart attack in his home in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh.<ref>{{Cite news |title=National Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury no more|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/obituary/2020/04/28/prof-jamilur-reza-choudhury-no-more|date=2020-04-28|work=Dhaka Tribune|access-date=2020-05-27}}</ref>

[[Category:Civil engineers]]