Habibullah Bahar Chowdhury

Mohammad Habibullah Bahar Chowdhury (1906–1966) was a politician and writer from East Bengal, who served in the political spheres of India and Pakistan.

Early life

His father, Mohammad Nurullah, was a Munsiff the son of Khan Bahadur Abdul Aziz and the father of Shamsunnahar Mahmud, who was Chowdhury's brother. He was born in 1906 in Feni District [http://banglapedia.org/HT/M_0073.HTM Mahmud, Shamsunnahar] Banglapedia] . At the age of 16, he matriculated from Chittagong Municipal School and got his I.Sc. from Chittagong College in 1924. He graduated from Calcutta Islamia College in 1928.

Work

He played football for the Calcutta Mohammedan Sporting Club and soon moved up the ranks to captainship. Under his leadership, the Calcutta Mohammedan Sporting Club was moved up from the 'B' league to the 'A' league in 1931. This was the start of his lifelong relationship with competitive sports [http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/C_0245.htm Chowdhury, Habibullah Bahar] — Banglapedia] .

In 1932, Habibullah Bahar took and passed the Indian Police Service exam. However he was not drafted into the Police Service, due to an alleged connection with revolutionary activities tied to Surya Sen. The next year he began publishing the literary journal "Bulbul" with his sister, Shamsunnahar Mahmud. He met with Kazi Nazrul Islam [ [http://www.voanews.com/bangla/archive/2006-02/2006-02-04-voa1.cfm Tributes Paid to the Achievements of Habibullah Bahar Choudhury] Voice of America — February 4, 2006] , and Islam even stayed at Chowdhury's house in January 1929 [ [http://banglapedia.org/HT/I_0109.HTM Islam, Kazi Nazrul] — Banglapedia] .

Politics

Habibullah Bahar joined the political landscape with an entry into the Bengal Muslim League. He was elected to its executive committee in 1937. Later that year, he was elected vice-president of Siraj-ud-daula Memorial Committee. He pioneered the East Pakistan Renaissance Society in 1943 and the next year was elected publicity secretary of the Bengal Muslim League. He was joint secretary of Bengal Literary Society between 1945 and 1946. While holding all of these posts, he was an integral member of the Pakistan Movement.

After Pakistan's independence, Chowdhury was elected as a member of the Bengal Legislative Assembly from the Parshuram constituency of Feni district. He accompanied Mahatma Gandhi on his visit to Noakhali after the communal riots of 1947, and participated in the Sylhet Referendum. He was a member of the first Muslim League cabinet in East Pakistan, serving as the first Health Minister. During his tenure, he successfully dealt with mosquitoes, and worked toward eradication. Habibullah Bahar chaired the reception committee of the first Literary convention of Pakistan, which was held in Dhaka in 1948. He was integral to the establishment of the East Pakistan Sports Federation in 1951, and later became its president.

Retired life

He fell ill in 1953 and was forced to make a premature end to his political career. He devoted the rest of his life to literature and philanthropy. He died on April 15, 1966 of heart failure. He was survived by some daughters, and one son, Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury [ [http://www.voanews.com/bangla/archive/2005-11/2005-11-26-voa12.cfm?CFID=570777&CFTOKEN=54814634 “Nirbachito Bulbul” Inaugurated in Kolkata] Voice of America — November 26, 2005] .

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