{{Short description|Bangladeshi footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox football biography | name = B. Roy Chowdhury | image = | caption = | image_size = | fullname = Bhupendra Kumar Roy Chowdhury | birth_date = 1912 | birth_place = Habiganj, Bengal, British India (present-day Bangladesh) | death_date = {{death date and given age|1992|11|21|df=y|80}}<ref name="death">{{Cite web|url=https://banglakantho.com/14288/|language=bn|title=বানিয়াচংয়ে কৃতি ফুটবলার বি রায় চৌধুরীর ৩২তম মৃত্যুবার্ষিকী পালন|date=21 November 2024|access-date=16 March 2025|website=banglakantho.com|archive-date=16 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250316195928/https://banglakantho.com/14288/|url-status=live}}</ref> | death_place = Habiganj, Bangladesh | height = | position = Left-winger | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1937 | clubs1 = DSA XI | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1938 | clubs2 = East Bengal | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 1939–1942 | clubs3 = Mohun Bagan | caps3 = | goals3 = }} '''Bhupendra Roy Chowdhury''' ({{langx|bn|ভূপেন্দ্র রায় চৌধুরী}}; 1912 – 21 November 1998) was a Bangladeshi footballer and politician.
==Early life== Bhupendra Kumar Roy Chowdhury was born in 1912 in Baniachong Upazila of Habiganj District in Bengal, British India. He became involved with both sports and politics at a young age. Chowdhury became actively involved in the Swadeshi movement during his student years. While in tenth grade at Habiganj High School, he helped organize the reception for Subhas Chandra Bose during his visit to Habiganj in 1931. That same year, he and three of his friends were arrested while hoisting the Indian flag in front of the Habiganj Subdistrict Treasury Office. In a summary trial, the then Subdivisional Officer of Habiganj, Navin Ali, sentenced them to 15 months in prison, and they were sent to Silchar Jail in Assam. After his release, Chowdhury enrolled at Brindaban Government College and founded the Town Club.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.habiganjinfo.com/popular/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8C%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80/|language=bn|title=বি. রায় চৌধুরী|access-date=16 March 2025|website=banglakantho.com|archive-date=16 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250316195727/https://www.habiganjinfo.com/popular/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8C%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Playing career== Chowdhury started playing football with Habiganj Town Club and Naojoan Club, while still being a college student. Eventually, he was invited for football trials in Dhaka for Jagannath College by its principle, Roy Bahadur Satyendranath Bhadra. Despite his families hesitance, Chowdhury moved to Dhaka, successfully trialed for the Jagannath College football team, and was granted free admission to the college. He finished his I.Com degree in 1934, and in the same year, the he captained the college team to the Dhaka University Shield. Impressed by Chowdhury's performance, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor R. C. Majumdar persuaded him to enroll in the university. Aside from playing football for the university team, Chowdhury also served as the athletics secretary of Jagannath Hall.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://samakal.com/todays-print-edition/tp-khola%20chokhe/article/67310/%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8C%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80|language=bn|title=কীর্তিমান বি রায় চৌধুরী|date=19 November 2020|access-date=16 March 2025|website=samakal.com|archive-date=16 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250316195850/https://samakal.com/todays-print-edition/tp-khola%20chokhe/article/67310/%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8C%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Islington Corinthians FC and Dhaka XI team photo in 1937.jpg|left|thumb|Islington Corinthians and DSA XI team photo on 22 November 1937, Chowdhury sitting third from right]]
In the mid-1930s, when First Division football began in Silchar, Assam, clubs from Sylhet, Brahmanbaria, Comilla, and Habiganj joined the league. This led Chowdhury and his younger brother, Sachin Roy Chowdhury, to travel regularly from Dhaka to participate. In 1937, Chowdhury represented Dhaka Sporting Association XI (DSA XI) against the touring Islington Corinthians. On 21 November, during the first exhibition match held at the DSA field, Chowdhury played in the left-wing, as Pakhi Sen scored the only goal in a surprise victory for DSA XI.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/wide-angle/bangladesh/glorious-day-dhakas-football-1600891 |title=A glorious day for Dhaka's football |date=6 July 2018 |work=The Daily Star |access-date=7 February 2022 |archive-date=7 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207133619/https://www.thedailystar.net/wide-angle/bangladesh/glorious-day-dhakas-football-1600891 |url-status=live}}</ref> He also played in the second exhibition match, which ended in a 0–1 defeat on 22 November.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/in-focus/islington-corinthians-fc-1605994|title=Islington Corinthians FC: The amateur football club that toured the world|date=2018-07-16|website=The Daily Star|language=en|access-date=8 March 2020|archive-date=26 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226114407/https://www.thedailystar.net/in-focus/islington-corinthians-fc-1605994|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 1938, Chowdhury completed his B.Com degree from Dhaka University and accepted an offer to play for the Kolkata-based East Bengal Club and began plying his trade in West Bengal. In 1939, he joined arch-rivals, Mohun Bagan AC, and spent the following four years at the club, including as captain in 1940, before retiring into politics and sports administration.<ref name="auto"/>
==Post-retirement== After retiring from football, Chowdhury rejoined the Indian independence movement, focusing his efforts in Sylhet. During this time, he briefly worked as a manager at The Asiatic Bank in Silchar and served as the secretary of Silchar India Club for a few years, eventually receiving life membership. He also served as the honorary president of Mohun Bagan AC.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kalerkantho.com/feature/khalar-ghor/2015/05/15/221973?|title=উজ্জ্বল মুখ|website=Kalerkantho|date=15 May 2015|access-date=17 March 2025|archive-date=17 March 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250317084918/https://www.kalerkantho.com/feature/khalar-ghor/2015/05/15/221973?|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1946, Chowdhury was the founding secretary of the Assam Football Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/an-aid-cum-architect-of-sports-history-in-northeastern-india-heritage-maharana-club/cid/1556539|title=An aid-cum-architect of sports history in northeastern India - Heritage / Maharana Club|website=The Telegraph|date=29 May 2004|access-date=17 March 2025|archive-date=17 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250317081422/https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/an-aid-cum-architect-of-sports-history-in-northeastern-india-heritage-maharana-club/cid/1556539|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the Partition of India, he moved back to his ancestral home in Baniachong, Habiganj, where he lived until his death. As a distinguished footballer and freedom fighter of the Swadeshi movement, he received an honorary allowance from the Government of India until his passing. In 1973, at a grand conference of anti-British freedom fighters in India, he was honored with a copper crown by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/>
==Death== Following the Independence of Bangladesh, Chowdhury remained in his residence in Baniachong Upazila, Habiganj District, where he died on 21 November 1992. His son, MLA Roy Chowdhury, is also involved involved with politics, and serves as the additional secretary of the Ministry of Shipping. An annual football tournament is held in his memory in his home village.<ref name="death"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Bibliography== *{{cite book |last1=Mahmud |first1=Dulal |year=2018|script-title=bn:ঢাকার ফুটবলের গৌরবময় সেইদিন ({{Translation|The glorious day of football in Dhaka}})|publisher=Bishhoshahitto Bhobon |isbn=978-984-93467-8-4}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chowdhury, B. Roy}} Category:1912 births Category:1992 deaths Category:People from Baniachong Upazila Category:Footballers from Sylhet Division Category:Bangladeshi men's footballers Category:Men's association football wingers Category:Mohun Bagan Super Giant players Category:East Bengal Club players Category:Calcutta Football League players Category:University of Dhaka alumni Category:Jagannath College alumni Category:20th-century Bangladeshi sportsmen Category:Brindaban Government College alumni