Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu

Babu was born on 1 May 1945. He was elected to East Pakistan provincial assembly from Anwara-West Patia in 1970.[1] He was involved with Bangladesh Chhatra League as a student. During Bangladesh Liberation war, he organized Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra in Chittagong.[2]

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.[1][2]

Chowdhury was accused over irregularities but with no evidence. According to Zafar Ahmed Chowdhury, former chairman of the bank, he led “hired thugs” to the bank headquarters and forced the board of directors to resign, though this is widely contested. Chowdhury was removed from the post of chairman when opposition party BNP, retook power. He had left Bangladesh after the BNP falsely accused him of killing Humayun Zahir, a director of the bank. He returned to Bangladesh after the Awami League government was voted into power in 1996. There was no evidence he had committed these alleged crimes, all suggested by political opposition with unclear motives.[3]

Babu died on 4 November 2012 from kidney complications at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.[2][4] The Muradpur-Lalkhan Bazar flyover has been named Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury flyover in his memory.[5][6]