Qajar Qub Ud-Din Ahmed Chowdhury

Qajar Qutb-ud-din Ahmed Chowdhury (1937-1997) [Zamindar] (Perso-Arabic) zamindar Barokut Golapgonj Dhakadokshin Sylhet,Bangladesh. Government Official.British Raj

Biography

Qutb-Udin Ahmed Chowdhury was the forth son of Qajar Furkan Ud-Din Ahmed Chowdhury and Grandson to Abdul Lotif Qajar and Begum Jannat Bibi and who was Persian Azeri origins from the Qajar family line, who consolidated parts of the Chowdhury estates in Barokut Dhakadokshin Golapgonj Sylhet Bangladesh along with his four brothers Qajar Monir Ud Din, Qajar Jomir Ud-Din, Qajar Mozir Ud Din, Qajar Mofuz Ud-Din. He inherited the estate from his father, vast lands of various platations along with their mother Begum Husna Banu from Delhi.

Qutb-Ud-Din was a multilingual person. He spoke Persian, Urdu, Bangla, English, and Hindi. He was taught Arabic, Persian and English at home. He was known as patron of Persian and Urdu literature. He observed the Nouruz the Persian New Year,though he was a Sunni himself he had many Zorastrian and Christian ties in his family. He also had close relations with the Hindu's, Armenians and the European community.

Qutb-Ud-Din had one wife Begum Assiya Khannom Chowdhury a Zamindars Daughter Originating from Delhi Sultanate family line and has 10 children. Business Mogul Rafik Ahmed Chowdhury, Lily Ahmed (Married Zamindar's/ Rajput's Son Molvibazar), Actress and Writer Shelly Jobeda Chowdhury (Married to Business mogul),Property Mogul Shibli Ahmed Chowdhury, Colee Chowdhury (Married to Health Ministry Officer), Lucy Islam (Married to Forestry Minister), Notable TV presenter Ashfak Ahmed Chowdhury Tipu, Barrister Musadek Ahmed Chowdhury, lecturer of English and History Mustaq Ahmed Chowdhury and Fashion Designer Muni Islam (Married to a Doctor). and has 18 known grandchildren. Among his non-succeeding Title heir and grandchildren His Eldest Grandchild Zubair Ilija Qajar Chowdhury who is the eldest son to Shelley Jobeda Chowdhury. He also is the grandfather to British Model and Actor Abraham Jocube Qajar Chowdhury Abraham Jocube-Chowdhury. He is also the Uncle to Ambassadors Faruk Ahmed Chowdhury, Masud Ahmed Chowdhury, Enam Ahmed Chowdhury and Iftikar Ahmed Chowdhury.

Ancestry

The ancestors of the Ahmed Chowdhury Family are of the Qajar tribe of Persia who migrated to Bengal in the early 1800s. Members of the Qajar Amed Chowdhury family have origins in Tabriz(Iran),Delhi Sultanate Suri Dynasty,Qajar, they were said to be vast land owners and merchant Princes before migrating to Bengal, where they where titled Chowdhury by the British Raj in the early 1900s. Though not direct descendents, the family also have family ties with descendents of the last Emperor Bahadur Shah II many of the family members are married into Nowab eg:Khavaja family line and Rajput Royal bloodlines of Bengal, they also featured prominently in the history of Bangladesh and India.

Early life

As a young child he was educated at home learned Persian, Arabic, Urdu and English in addition to Bengali. He was noted as being a very gifted child. He travelled throughout India, Pakistan, The Middle East and Persia and By the age of 22, he was entrusted with the maintenance and expansion of the family estates and later went on to work as a Government official for the British Raj.

Philanthropy

Qutb-Ud-Din was a noted philanthropist. He donated over 100 lakh rupees to various charitable projects. He spent over 50,000 rupees in famine relief work, building Hospitals, repairing of Mosques, Temples and various religious establishments. He also was one of the chief backers for the building of the first public hospital in Golapgonj Sylhet. Later many hospitals were funded and constructed by him, He also spend thousands of rupees building schools, education and orphan establishments in various parts of East Bengal (Bangladesh).

Literature

Much of his spare time was spent composing and reading literature in Urdu and Persian He had a pure passion for literature and read over 3,OOO books over a period of a few years. He was a fond reader of Persian Literature and poem and knew verses of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. He enjoyed English, Bengali and Urdu literature.

Dances

Qutb-Ud-Din was a great patron of the arts of the baijees, the hereditary dancing girls introduced to Bengal by Wajid Ali Shah, the Nawab of Awadh. Baijees, known as the Tawaif in Northern India, danced a special form of Kathak focused at popular entertainment along with singing mostly in the form of Thumri.

During his frequent visits to Lucknow, Nawab and Rajput friends, baijees used to perform regularly for mehfils (gatherings) and mujras at the rajbaris. The most prominent baijees were Suponjan, Mushtari Bai, Piyari Bai, Heera Bai, Wamu Bai and Abedi Bai.

Later life and death

He retired at 50 and lived in his town house with his family in Zinda Bazar Sylhet Town, opposite the Mazar of Shah Jalal, and travelled through out Europe, America and Asia.

Qajar Qutb-Ud-Din Ahmed Chowdhury died at 70 on October 7th, 1997 by natural death [1] . He was buried in the family plot in Shah Jalal Mazar Sylhet Bangladesh.