Harris Chowdhury
{{short description|Bangladeshi businessman and politician (1952–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{disputed|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Md Abul Harris Chowdhury
| native_name = মোঃ আবুল হারিছ চৌধুরী
| native_name_lang = bn
| birth_name = Md Abul Harris Chowdhury
| birth_date = {{birth date|1952|11|1|df=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|9|3|1952|11|1|df=y}}
| death_place = Dhaka, Bangladesh
| nationality = Bangladeshi
| occupation = {{hlist|Politician}}
| party = Bangladesh Nationalist Party
}}
Abul Harris Chowdhury (1 November 1952{{Snd}}3 September 2021) was a Bangladeshi politician who served as the Political Secretary of Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. He was the Joint Secretary General of Bangladesh Nationalist Party.{{cite news |title=Harris Chy among 9 charged with Kibria murder |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/harris-chy-among-9-charged-with-kibria-murder-50184 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |accessdate=21 January 2017 |language=en |date=13 November 2014}}{{cite news |last1=Manik |first1=Julfikar Ali |last2=Khan |first2=Sharier |title=Harris Chowdhury |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/05/23/d7052301011.htm |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|accessdate=21 January 2017 |archive-date=4 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204004805/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/05/23/d7052301011.htm |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |title=High Court rejects former prime minister Khaleda Zia's plea |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-high-court-rejects-former-prime-minister-khaleda-zia-s-plea-2199423 |work=DNA India |accessdate=21 January 2017 |date=7 April 2016}} Chowdhury was sentenced to 65 years in total and a life term in prison in absentia for allegedly committing multiple crimes.{{Cite news |url=http://en.banglatribune.com/country/news/99/Where-is-Harris-Chowdhury |title=Where is Harris Chowdhury? |work=Bangla Tribune |access-date=14 October 2018 |date=30 August 2017 |language=en}} His party alleges the charges were falsely given, along with those against Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman,{{Cite news |title=Tarique Rahman, wife, victims of political vendetta: Fakhrul |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/politics/o0rn37xa65 |access-date=2022-12-27 |work=Prothom Alo |date= |language=en}} and many other senior party members.{{Cite news |date=27 January 2022 |title=Former finance minister Kibria murder: 17 years on, justice remains elusive |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/law-rights/2022/01/27/former-finance-minister-kibria-murder-17-years-on-justice-remains-elusive |access-date=27 January 2022 |work=Dhaka Tribune |language=en}}
Career
Chowdhury was nominated to contest in the National Parliamentary Elections since 1977. He was Founding General Secretary and Divisional Organizing Secretary of Sylhet District branch of BNP and Joint Secretary General of BNP's Central Committee. President Ziaur Rahman gave him the responsibility of organizing the youth, he was the Founding Vice President of BNP's youth wing, Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Jubo Dal. He served as Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia's political secretary. He worked closely and for a long time with two state and government heads i.e. President Ziaur Rahman and Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.{{Cite news |url=https://www.justnewsbd.com/en/national/news/15615 |title=Harris Chowdhury passes away, burial held in Dhaka |work=JustNewsBD}} He served as the political secretary of the then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from 2001 to 2006.{{cite news |title=Sacked Sylhet mayor Ariful out of jail on bail |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/01/04/sacked-sylhet-mayor-ariful-out-of-jail-on-bail |work=bdnews24.com |accessdate=21 January 2017}}
=Charges and convictions=
Chowdhury had been a fugitive since the military-backed caretaker government took power on 11 January 2007. Later that year, Chowdhury was charged by the caretaker government of acquiring his wealth through illegal methods.{{cite news |title=Harris the fortune-maker |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-50533 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |accessdate=21 January 2017 |language=en |date=15 August 2008}}{{cite news |title=Jail term for Khaleda Zia adviser |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6675899.stm |work=BBC News |date=21 May 2007 |accessdate=21 January 2017}} In October, he was sentenced to three years in jail by a special anti-corruption tribunal for illegally possessing foreign currency.{{cite news |title=Three more top Bangladeshis held |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6698949.stm |work=BBC News |date=28 May 2007 |accessdate=21 January 2017}}{{Cite news |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2007/10/04/harris-chowdhury-jailed-for-3-years |title=Harris Chowdhury jailed for 3 years |access-date=14 October 2018 |date=14 October 2007 |work=bdnews24.com}} In November, a Dhaka court sentenced him to 59 years in jail and fined him Tk 21 lakh on five counts of charges, including abuse of power and government-transport mishandling.{{Cite news |url=https://bdnews24.com/politics/2007/11/04/harris-chowdhury-to-spend-10-years-behind-bars |title=Harris Chowdhury to spend 10 years behind bars |access-date=14 October 2018 |date=4 November 2007}}
He was charged with involvement in the murder of former finance minister, Shah A M S Kibria, in 2005.{{cite news |title=Deputy speaker blames failure to try policemen's killers for Liton murder, seeks security for MPs |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/01/02/deputy-speaker-blames-failure-to-try-policemen-s-killers-for-liton-murder-seeks-security-for-mps |work=bdnews24.com |accessdate=21 January 2017}} In November 2014, a supplementary charge-sheet was submitted accusing 35 people including Chowdhury.{{Cite news |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2014/11/13/khaleda-s-ex-political-secretary-harris-chowdhury-implicated-in-kibria-murder |title=Khaleda's ex-political secretary Harris Chowdhury implicated in Kibria murder |access-date=14 October 2018}} Chowdhury was also charged with involvement in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.
Chowdhury was charged with involvement in the August 2004 Dhaka grenade attack. In December 2014, an arrest warrant was issued against him.{{cite news |title=Arrest warrants for Harris Chowdhury, BNP mayors in Kibria murder |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2014/12/21/arrest-warrants-for-harris-chowdhury-bnp-mayors-in-kibria-murder |work=bdnews24.com |accessdate=21 January 2017}} In February 2016, his properties were confiscated by the directives of Bangladesh High Court.{{cite news |title=Court orders impounding of assets of 10 fugitives in explosives case over ex-minister Kibria murder |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2016/02/29/court-orders-impounding-of-assets-of-10-fugitives-in-explosives-case-over-ex-minister-kibria-murder |work=bdnews24.com |accessdate=21 January 2017}} In October 2018, a special court found Chowdhury and 37 others guilty in the grenade attack case. He was sentenced to life term in prison and fined Tk 50,000.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/august-21-carnage/21-august-grenade-attack-verdict-tarique-rahman-awarded-life-1645090 |title=August 21 attack: 'State-backed crime' punished |date=11 October 2018 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |access-date=14 October 2018 |language=en}} Interpol Red Notice had been served on him in November 2015. According to CID and police headquarters sources, as of October 2018, Chowdhury was moving through Malaysia, London, Singapore, the United States and India.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/country/police-locate-harris-chowdhury-among-8-fugitives-august-21-grenade-attack-2004-in-dhaka-1644778 |title=Cops locate Harris among 8 fugitives of Aug 21 grenade attack |date=9 October 2018 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |access-date=14 October 2018 |language=en}}
Chowdhury's family also refers to the allegations and charges against him along with the convictions he received to be simply political and part of the political culture of the country An investigative report by veteran journalist Matiur Rahman Chowdhury published in Manab Zamin following Chowdhury's death confirms that he had in fact never fled the country.{{cite news |url=https://mzamin.com/news.php?news=1481 |script-title=bn:হারিছ চৌধুরী আত্মগোপনে ৩ বছর কোথায় ছিলেন, অনুসন্ধানে নতুন তথ্য |work=Manab Zamin |date=4 May 2022 |language=bn}}
Personal life and death
Chowdhury was married to Josne Ara Chowdhury. They have a son, Nayem Shafi Chowdhury, and a daughter, Samira Tanzin Chowdhury. He has a younger brother, Selim Chowdhury, and an elder sister, Akhlasun Nahar.
On 12 January 2022, Chowdhury's cousin announced in a Facebook post that Chowdhury had died from COVID-19 complications in London, United Kingdom, in September 2021, and was buried at the same location {{dubious|date=September 2022}}.{{Cite news |script-title=bn:হারিছ চৌধুরী যুক্তরাজ্যে মারা গেছেন, জানালেন চাচাতো ভাই |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/district/হারিছ-চৌধুরী-যুক্তরাজ্যে-মারা-গেছেন-জানালেন-চাচাতো-ভাই |access-date=12 January 2022 |work=Prothom Alo |date=12 January 2022 |language=bn}}[https://www.risingbd.com/english/politics/news/84521 BNP leader Harris Chowdhury dies]. Retrieved 14 April 2025. While his cousin's announcement was widely reported, other controversial sources often criticised for spreading disinformation reported that Chowdhury had not died.{{cite news |url=https://www.weeklyblitz.net/news/bnp-leader-harris-chowdhury-hides-under-death-rumor/ |title=BNP leader Harris Chowdhury hides under death rumor |work=Weekly Blitz |date=17 January 2022 |access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news |url=http://www.banglainsider.com/insider-exclusive/101781/পরিচয়-গোপন-করতেই-হারিছ-চৌধুরীর-মৃত্যু-নাটক |script-title=bn:পরিচয় গোপন করতেই হারিছ চৌধুরীর মৃত্যু নাটক |work=Bangla Insider |date=13 January 2022 |language=bn |access-date=11 February 2022}}
Nonetheless, drawing a conclusion to all politically motivated controversies surrounding the matter, His daughter, Samira Tanzin Chowdhury, revealed to the media and confirmed particularly in an investigative report by acclaimed journalist Matiur Rahman Chowdhury the Editor in Chief of the Manab Zamin that Harris Chowdhury in fact passed away in Evercare Hospital, Dhaka never having fled the country.
References
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Category:Bangladesh Nationalist Party politicians
Category:Bangladeshi politicians convicted of crimes
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)