Kamal Chowdhury
{{short description|Bengali poet|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{COI|date=October 2020}}
{{Update|date=December 2024}}
}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Kamal Chowdhury
| image = Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury.jpg
| caption = Chowdhury in 2018
| native_name = কামাল চৌধুরী
| native_name_lang = bn
| office = Education and Cultural Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh
| primeminister = Sheikh Hasina
| term_start = 11 January 2024
| term_end = 5 August 2024
| predecessor =
| birth_name = Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|1|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = Comilla district, East Pakistan, Pakistan
| nationality = Bangladeshi
| education = Ph.D
| alma_mater = University of Dhaka
| awards = Bangla Academy Literary Award (2011), Ekushey Padak(2022)
| successor = TBD
}}
Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury (known as Kamal Chowdhury; born 31 December 1957) is a Bengali poet and former member of the Bangladesh Civil Service.{{cite news |title=PM names loyalist Kamal Chowdhury as principal secretary |work=bdnews24.com |date=27 November 2016 |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/kamal-chowdhury-made-pm-s-principal-secretary |access-date=27 November 2016}} he is the former adviser to the prime minister of Bangladesh. He was the Chief Coordinator of the National Implementation Committee for the Celebration of Mujib Borsho, the Birth Centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh.{{Cite news |date=2019-09-25 |title=Dr Kamal Naser Chowdhury gets status of principal secretary |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/government-affairs/2019/09/25/dr-kamal-naser-chowdhury-gets-status-of-principal-secretary |access-date=2020-10-12 |work=Dhaka Tribune}} He is a former principal secretary of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
He is mostly known for his works on literature, especially poetry. He was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 2011 for his contributions to Bengali poetry and Ekushe Podok 2022 for his contributions to Bengali language and literature. {{cite news |title=Bangla Academy prizes announced |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/bangla-academy-prizes-announced |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=2012-02-18 |access-date=2012-02-18}}
Early life and education
Chowdhury was born on 31 December 1957, in Vijaykara village of Chauddagram Upazila of Comilla District. He is the second among six children of Ahmad Hossain Chowdhury and Begum Tahira Hossain. In 1973, he passed Secondary School Certificate from Gaidyanil High School in Narayanganj District and Higher Secondary School Certificate from Dhaka College in 1975. Then he studied sociology at University of Dhaka and received Bachelor's and master's degree.{{Cite book |title=Bangla Academy Lekhok Ovidhan |publisher=Bangla Academy |year=2009 |location=Dhaka |pages=119}} In 2000, he completed PhD in anthropology at the retirement of government jobs. The subject of his PhD dissertation is 'Matrutulan Rasa tradition of Garo people'.
Career
In 1982, Kamal Chowdhury took up the job as a member of the Bangladesh Civil Service.
After serving jobs in different positions in 2010, he was promoted as secretary of the government of Bangladesh. While being additional secretary of the Ministry of Information (Bangladesh), he was appointed as acting secretary of the same ministry. Afterwards, he served as secretary of information for some time.
From 2010 to 2014 he was the secretary of Ministry of Education. After that, he served as the secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration from March 2014. At this time, he was promoted as the senior secretary of the government. After retiring from work in late 2016, he was appointed as the principal secretary of Prime Minister of Bangladesh.{{Cite news |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%96%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AC-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%87%E0%A7%97%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80 |script-title=bn:মুখ্য সচিব হলেন কামাল চৌধুরী |work=Prothom Alo |date=2016-11-27 |access-date=2017-11-14 |language=bn}} He also represented Bangladesh at the UNESCO Executive Board for the term 2014–2017.{{cite web |title=Representative of Bangladesh to the UNESCO Executive Board |url=http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/GBS/EXB/images/202nd_Bangladesh_En_02.pdf |website=unesco.org}}
On 22 January 2022, Chowdhury was awarded the Ekushey Padak, the second most important award for civilians in Bangladesh.{{Cite news |title=24 personalities to get Ekushey Padak |url=https://www.jagonews24.com/en/national/news/60192 |access-date=2022-02-07 |work=jagonews24.com |language=en-US}}
On 11 January 2024, he was inducted as an advisor of Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in the rank and status of a cabinet minister.{{Cite news |date=2024-01-11 |title=PM appoints 6 advisers |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/governance/news/pm-appoints-6-advisers-3517081 |access-date=2024-01-11 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He was detained on 2 October after the fall of the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina.{{Cite news |date=2024-10-02 |title=Former principal secretary to ex-PM Hasina arrested |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/former-principal-secretary-ex-pm-hasina-arrested-3717701 |access-date=2024-10-02 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}
Personal life
Chowdhury's younger brother, Abdullah Al Mohsin Chowdhury, was the secretary of the Ministry of Defence.{{Cite news |last=Nafiu |first=Rummana Foisal |date=28 Jun 2021 |title=Former defence sec Mohsin Chowdhury's death anniversary Tuesday |work=Dhaka Tribune |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/250896/former-defence-sec-mohsin-chowdhury%E2%80%99s-death |access-date=12 September 2023}}File:Kamal Chowdhury at Dhaka Lit Fest 2017.jpg
Publications
Kamal Chowdhury's first poetry book was published in the year 1981. The list of his poetry books are:
- Michhiler Shoman Boyoshi (As Old as the Procession), 1981
- Ae Poth Ae Kolahol, 1993
- Asheci Nejer Vore, 1995
- Ae Meg Biduthe Vora, 1997
- Duli O Sagor Drisho, 2000
- Rod Brishti Antomil, 2003
- He Mati Prithibiputro, 2006
- Premer Kobita, 2008{{Cite news |url=http://www.risingbd.com/কামাল-চৌধুরীর-কবিতাআত্মকথন-ও-নিসর্গপ্রেম/209203 |script-title=bn:কামাল চৌধুরীর কবিতা : আত্মকথন ও নিসর্গপ্রেম |date=2017-01-15 |work=Risingbd.com |language=bn |access-date=2018-02-01}}
- Panthoshalar Ghora, 2010
Awards
- Bangla Academy Literary Award (2011)
- Ekushey Padak(2022)
References
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Category:University of Dhaka alumni
Category:Recipients of Bangla Academy Award
Category:Bengali-language writers
Category:Bangladeshi male poets
Category:Best Lyricist National Film Award (Bangladesh) winners
Category:Recipients of the Ekushey Padak in 2022