Choudhury, Benode Behari
Chowdhury, Binod Bihari (1911-2013) Revolutionary activist of anti-British movement, comrade of revolutionary Surya Sen. Binod Bihari Chowdhury was born on 10 January, 1911 at North Bhurshi village of Boalkhali thana (upazila) in Chittagong district. His father Kamini Chowdhury was a lawyer by profession and mother Rama Chowdhury was a housewife. His wife’s name is Viva Dash Chowdhury. The name of his only son is Vivekandra Chowdhury.
He started his primary education at Rangamatia Board School in Fatikchari thana of Chittagong district. From there he attended Fatikchari’s ancient and traditional school named Vidyapeeth, Fatikchari’s Coronation Adarsh High School, Boalkhali’s PC Sen Sarwartali High School, and later, he studied in Chittagong College. Binod Bihari Chowdhury became a member of the revolutionary party in 1927 when he was a ninth grade student of Sarwartli School and came into close contact with revolutionary leaders like Masterda Suryasen, Ramakrishna Biswas and Tarekshwar Dastidar. In 1929, he passed Entrance in the first division from Sarwartali High School. Received Raisaheb scholarship.
After passing entrance, he was admitted to Chittagong College. While a first year college student, he went to loot the Chittagong Armory under the leadership of Suryasen on 18 April 1930. On 12 April, he participated in the battle at Jalalabad Hills and was wounded, then went into hiding. After spending 3 years in prison, he was again caught and spent 5 years in various prisons without trial. While imprisoned in Rajputna Deuli Detention Camp in India, he passed his Intermediate in 1934 and BA with distinction in 1936. He passed MA and BL in English from Calcutta University in 1939 while under house arrest.
Binod Bihari Chowdhury was the Assistant Secretary of Congress Chittagong District Committee in 1930. He started his career as an assistant editor of a daily newspaper in 1939. In 1940, he engaged in legal profession in Chittagong Court. Apart from being a member of Bengal Provincial Congress Executive Committee during 1940-1946, he was elected General Secretary, Chittagong District Committee of Congress in 1946. In 1948, he became a member of the Legislative Assembly of East Bengal from Congress Party. Binod Bihari Chowdhury was a true revolutionary and patriot. Non-sectarianism was his life-ideal. When all political parties were outlawed by the Ayub region imposing martial law in the country, he retired from politics. Finally, he took up teaching as a profession. Binod Bihari Chowdhury spent almost 15 years in jail until 1966.
Binodbihari Chowdhury became a favorite of Masterda Suryasen within a few days of joining the revolutionaries. He was one of Masterda Suryasen’s young accomplices in the historic armory looting of 1930. At the time of looting Chittagong armory, the revolutionaries destroyed the telegraph office and looted all the armaments of the auxiliary force. Dampara Police Line had arms depots; they also took possession of that. Himanshu Sen, Anant Singh, Ganesh Ghosh and Anand Gupta are particularly notable among those who were in Masterda Suryasen’s team. After Chittagong armory looting in 1930, the anti-British movement took a militant form. For few days, the British troops gathered strength and attacked the revolutionary party. Binod Bihari also fought bravely in the Jalalabad Hills. The Battle of Jalalabad was Binod Bihari Chowdhury’s first front battle. He continued fighting while wounded. Twelve of their colleagues were martyred in that war.
After being released from house arrest, he joined the newspaper ‘Panchjanya’, published in Chittagong, as an assistant editor. Also joined the legal profession in the Chittagong court and started active politics by joining the Indian National Congress. Binod Bihari used to say, “Timidity and cowardice are sins. Keep courage in your heart”.
Binod Bihari Chowdhury was most vocal against all injustices, and anti-human activities that took place during British, Pakistan, Bangladesh period. In recognition of his work, he received various state honors including ‘Ekushey Padak’ and felicitations from various institutions.
In 2001, he received the ‘Swadhinata Padak’. In 2011 Bangladesh Asiatic Society awarded him honorary membership and felicitation. He donated Tk. two lacs to establish a trust fund the Department of History, in Chittagong University. That was the money he saved from his lifelong savings. The trust fund however, received donations by students, well-wishers, banks, and other organizations. In 2011, he established Masterda Suryasen Trust Fund at the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. He died in Kolkata on April 10, 2013 while undergoing treatment. [Sabbir Ahmed]
