Abdul Haleem Chowdhury

Abdul Haleem Chowdhury (1 February 1928 – 7 October 1987)^[1] was a politician of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, MP, and government minister. He is a retired captain of the Pakistan Army and fought in the 1971 war and established Halim Bahini.^[2] His son-in-law is Mafizul Islam Khan Kamal.^{[citation needed]}

Abdul Haleem Chowdhury
আবদুল হালিম চৌধুরী
Minister of Agriculture
In office 29 July 1984 – 15 January 1985
Preceded by	Abu Zafar Obaidullah
Succeeded by	Mohammad Abdul Munim
Minister of Food
In office 12 February 1982 – 24 March 1982
Preceded by	Abdul Momen Khan
Succeeded by	Abdul Gafoor Mahmud
Member of Parliament for Dhaka-2
In office 2 April 1979 – 24 March 1982
Preceded by	Moslem Uddin Khan
Succeeded by	Burhan Uddin Khan
Personal details
Born	(1928-02-01)1 February 1928 Manikganj, Bengal, British India (now, Dhaka, Bangladesh)
Died	7 October 1987(1987-10-07) (aged 59) Dhaka, Bangladesh
Political party	Bangladesh Nationalist Party
Alma mater	University of Rajshahi
Military service
Allegiance	Pakistan (before 1971)  Bangladesh
Branch/service	Pakistan Army  Bangladesh Army
Years of service	1950 - 1962 1971-1972
Rank	Captain
Unit	Punjab Regiment
Commands	Adjutant of 1st Punjab Regiment Sub-commander of Sector – VIII Sub-commander of Z Force
Battles/wars	Bangladesh War of Separation

Early life

Chowdhury was born on 1 February 1928 in Elachipur, Shivalaya, Manikganj, Bengal Presidency, British India. He graduated from Faridpur Zilla School. He went on to Rajshahi College, finished his BA in economics from Rajshahi University. He started his master's degree at Dhaka University.^[1]

Career

Chowdhury joined the Pakistan army in 1950 while still a student. In the army, he served as the Adjutant and Quarter Master in the 1st Punjab Regiment. He served as the aide-de-camp to the GOC of the 14th division. He was the commanding officer of University Officers' Training Corps Battalion in East Pakistan. In 1962, he retired from the Army over health reasons. He joined the East Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation. He was placed in charged of setting up a sugar mill in Kushtia.

In 1966, he joined the National Awami Party. In the 1970 Pakistani general election he stood as a nominee of the National Awami Party faction led by Muzaffar Ahmed (NAP (M)).^[3]

During the Bangladesh War in 1971, he helped set up the revolutionary committee of Manikganj. He was placed in charge of military operations in Dhaka Sadar and Gazipur. He established the Halim Bahini, a paramilitary force under his command, to fight in the war.^[4] After the Independence of Bangladesh, he stood again as a NAP (M) candidate in the 1973 Bangladeshi general election.^[3] He became the president of United People's Party. In 1979, he was elected to Parliament from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He served in the cabinet of President Ziaur Rahman as the minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative. He later was in the cabinet of President Abdus Sattar as the minister of Food and Relief. He was a member of BNP's National executive committee. He joined General Hussain Muhammad Ershad's Jatiya party after it came to power. He was the minister of Agriculture and Food.^[1]

Death

Chowdhury died on 7 October 1987.^[1]