Chaudhury, Shamsul Huda

Shamsul Huda Chaudhury

Chaudhury, Shamsul Huda (1920-2000) Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad. He was born on 1 May 1920 in Sufi, Birbhum district of West Bengal. Shamsul Huda Chaudhury obtained his BA degree from Presidency College, Calcutta, in 1941, and MA and LLB from Aligarh Muslim University. He was elected the vice president of Aligarh University Students Union for the year 1943-44 and later the president of All Bengal Muslim Students League. During his student life he attained distinction as a debater and won several gold medals including the Sir Morris Goyar Trophy in All India Debate Competition, 1943.

Shamsul Huda Chaudhury had a deep interest in media and was a well-known television and radio broadcaster. He was Regional Director of All India Radio and later of Radio Pakistan, Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism, Founder Director of Pakistan International Airlines Arts Academy, Chief of Public Relations of East Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation etc.

In 1976 he was appointed Chairman of Bangladesh Broadcasting Enquiry Commission and in 1977 the Advisor to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. In 1979 he was elected a member of parliament and during the next few years served as minister in various ministries: Information and Broadcasting, Sports and Culture, Religious Affairs, Railways and Planning. In 1986 he was elected MP for the second time and was elected Speaker of the third parliament. In April 1988 he was elected Speaker for the second time and remained so until 1990. Shamsul Huda Chaudhury died on 15 February 2000 and lies buried next to his wife leila arjumand banu in Dhaka. [Shahnaz Huda]