Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury

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Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury
তৌফিক-ই-এলাহী চৌধুরী
Chowdhury in 2017
Power,Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh
Assumed office
11 January 2024
Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina
Preceded byHimself
In office
25 January 2009 – 29 November 2023[1]
Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina
Preceded byoffice established
Succeeded byHimself
Personal details
Born1945
NationalityBangladeshi
SpouseAsma Elahi
Children2 daughters
Parents
  • Shakhawat Husayn Chowdhury (father)
  • Sufiya Chowdhury (mother)
EducationPhD
Alma mater
Awards Bir Bikrom

Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury is the energy adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh since January 2009.[2][3][4]

Early life

Chowdhury's ancestral home is in the village of Nateshwar in Beanibazar, Sylhet District. Chowdhury passed Secondary School Certificate exam from Barisal Zilla School in 1959 and HSC exam from Dhaka College in 1961. He earned his bachelor's in economics from the University of Dhaka in 1964 and master's from Panjab University in 1965.

Career

He joined the Civil Service of Pakistan (CSP) in 1968 after a two-year stint as lecturer in economics in the University of Dhaka.[citation needed] He completed his post graduate diploma from Leeds University, UK in 1975. He went to Harvard University and earned his PhD in 1983. In 1971, as the sub-divisional officer of Meherpur, he joined the liberation war and was commissioned in the Bangladesh Armed Forces. He was decorated for gallantry as Bir Bikrom and was one of the chief organizers of the swearing in ceremony of the first Government of Bangladesh in Mujibnagar, Meherpur on 17 April 1971.

Later he reverted to civil service and after several assignments, went for higher studies in United Kingdom in 1974. He was CEO and managing director of the Industrial Bank of Bangladesh (BSB). He served as Secretary to the Govt. of Bangladesh for nearly a decade in the Ministries of Food, Statistics, Power Energy & Mineral Resources and Planning. He also served as a visiting fellow at the Economic Growth Centre of the Yale University.

Since his retirement from public service in 2002, Chowdhury has served as a consultant to, among others, UN agencies and multilateral organizations.

Chowdhury was appointed Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Government of Bangladesh in January 2009 with the rank and status of a Minister. He advises on energy, power and mineral resources.

Chowdhury participated "UK Road Show 2015: Creating Opportunity for Investors", is a Bangladesh international investment and business seminar, designed for investors and corporate heads who want to explore the opportunities of a frontier market like Bangladesh. The country offers untapped opportunities in plethora of sectors which ensures handsome return, with smooth option to the press several times about reports by international bodies like UNESCO so as to get on with the project." If the Sundarbans is to be saved, the Rampal project must be cancelled"[5]

Personal life

Chowdhury is married to Asma Elahi - a daughter of the Bengali poet Jasimuddin.[6]

He has two daughters Dr. Bushra Chowdhury and Mehnaz Chowdhury. In 2018, Chowdhury released an autobiographical book Chariot of Life.[2]

References

  1. ^ "টেকনোক্র্যাট তিন মন্ত্রীর পদত্যাগ কার্যকর". Ekattor TV (in Bengali). 29 November 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Chariot of Life: Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury chronicles personal journey, history". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  3. ^ Piyali Mandal (8 February 2011). "Q&A: Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury, Bangladesh PM Advisor". Business Standard. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  4. ^ "Chowdhury: Bangladesh Should Lead the Way in Energy Responsibility". Voice of America. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  5. ^ "No clearance for Rampal project in UNESCO report". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Palli Kabi Jasimuddin's wife buried". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 7 October 2019.