{{Short description|Indian politician (2010–)}} {{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Biswanath Chowdhury | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date|1942|08|01|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|07|27|1942|08|01|df=y}} | death_place = Kolkata, West Bengal, India | office1 = Minister for Jails and Social Welfare <br/> in the West Bengal Government | constituency1 = | term1 = 1986–2011 | office2 = Member of Legislative Assembly of West Bengal | term2 = 2016–2021 | predecessor2 = Sankar Chakraborty | successor2 = Ashok Kumar Lahiri | constituency2 = Balurghat | term_start3 = 1977 | term_end3 = 2011 | predecessor3 = Bireshwar Roy | successor3 = Sankar Chakraborty | constituency3 = Balurghat | party = Revolutionary Socialist Party | spouse = | college = | children = | alma_mater = | faculty = | website = | source = | term_end2 = | term_end = }}
'''Biswanath Chowdhury''' (1 August 1942 – 27 July 2024) was an Indian Revolutionary Socialist Party politician, and a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Balurghat eight times. He was the West Bengal minister for Jails and Social Welfare for quarter of a century.
==Seven-time MLA== Biswanath Chowdhury, a graduate from Balurghat College,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2011/spotlight.aspx | title = Battle for Bengal, Phase I| work =Hindustan Times| accessdate = 14 July 2014 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20140715151345/http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2011/spotlight.aspx | archivedate = 15 July 2014 }}</ref> first became a MLA in 1977.<ref name=vidhansabha1977>{{cite web| url = http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1977/StatisticalReportWestBengal77.pdf |title = General Elections, India, 1977, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal | work= Constituency-wise Data|publisher= Election Commission | accessdate = 9 July 2014}}</ref> Thereafter, he continued as MLA in 1982,<ref name=vidhansabha1982>{{cite web| url = http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1982/StatisticalReportWestBengal82.pdf |title = General Elections, India, 1982, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal | work= Constituency-wise Data|publisher= Election Commission | accessdate = 9 July 2014}}</ref> 1987,<ref name=vidhansabha1987>{{cite web| url = http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1987/StatisticalReportWestBengal87.pdf |title = General Elections, India, 1987, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal | work= Constituency-wise Data|publisher= Election Commission | accessdate = 9 July 2014}}</ref> 1991,<ref name=vidhansabha1991>{{cite web| url = http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1991/StatisticalReport-West%20Bengal91.pdf|title = General Elections, India, 1991, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal | work= Constituency-wise Data|publisher= Election Commission | accessdate = 9 July 2014}}</ref> 1996,<ref name=vidhansabha1996>{{cite web| url = http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1996/StatisticalReport-UP96.pdf |title = General Elections, India, 1996, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal | work= Constituency-wise Data|publisher= Election Commission | accessdate = 9 July 2014}}</ref> 2001<ref name=vidhansabha2001>{{cite web| url =http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_2001/StatRept_WB_2001.pdf |title = General Elections, India, 2001, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal | work= Constituency-wise Data|publisher= Election Commission | accessdate = 9 July 2014}}</ref> and 2006.<ref name=vidhansabha2006>{{cite web| url =http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_2006/StatReport_WB_2006.pdf |title = General Elections, India, 2006, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal | work= Constituency-wise Data|publisher= Election Commission | accessdate = 9 July 2014}}</ref> In the 2011 elections he lost to Sankar Chakraborty of All India Trinamool Congress.<ref name=vidhansabha2011>{{cite web| url =http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/AE2011/stat_WB_May2011.pdf|title = General Elections, India, 2011, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal | work= Constituency-wise Data|publisher= Election Commission | accessdate = 9 July 2014}}</ref>
==Ministerial role== Chowdhury was minister for Jails and Social Welfare in West Bengal for 25 years from 1986 to 2011.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://indianexpress.com/tag/biswanath-chowdhury/ | title = A bit of culture rejuvenates me: Minister Biswanath |work= The Indian Express, 17 October 2010| accessdate = 14 July 2014}}</ref>
==Death== Chowdhury died from cancer in Kolkata, on 27 July 2024, at the age of 82.<ref>[https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/3031742-veteran-politician-biswanath-chowdhury-passes-away Veteran Politician Biswanath Chowdhury Passes Away]</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{succession box | before = ? | | title = Minister for Jails and Social Welfare <br>in the West Bengal Government | years = 1986–2011 | after = ? }} {{s-par|in-la}} {{IN Assembly succession box | state= WB | constituency= Balurghat | before= Bireshwar Roy | after= Sankar Chakraborty | years=2016– 2011}} {{IN Assembly succession box | state= WB | constituency= Balurghat | before= Sankar Chakraborty | after= ? | years=2016–2021}} {{s-end}}
{{West Bengal Legislative Assembly5}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chowdhury, Biswanath}} Category:1942 births Category:2024 deaths Category:Revolutionary Socialist Party (India) politicians Category:West Bengal MLAs 1977–1982 Category:West Bengal MLAs 1982–1987 Category:West Bengal MLAs 1987–1991 Category:West Bengal MLAs 1991–1996 Category:West Bengal MLAs 1996–2001 Category:West Bengal MLAs 2001–2006 Category:West Bengal MLAs 2006–2011 Category:West Bengal MLAs 2016–2021 Category:People from Balurghat Category:State cabinet ministers of West Bengal Category:Deaths from cancer in India