# Humayun Rashid Choudhury

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Bangladeshi diplomat and politician

Humayun Rasheed Choudhury হুমায়ূন রশীদ চৌধুরী 8th Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad In office 14 July 1996 – 10 July 2001 Deputy Mohammad Abdul Hamid Preceded by Sheikh Razzak Ali Succeeded by Mohammad Abdul Hamid President of the United Nations General Assembly In office 1986–1987 Preceded by Jaime de Piniés Succeeded by Peter Florin Minister of Foreign Affairs In office 1984–1985 Preceded by A R Shamsud Doha Succeeded by Anisul Islam Mahmud Member of Parliament for Sylhet-1 In office 1996–2001 Preceded by Khandaker Abdul Malik Succeeded by Saifur Rahman In office 1986–1991 Preceded by Syed Rafiqul Haque Succeeded by Khandaker Abdul Malik Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States In office June 1982 – September 1984 Preceded by Tabarak Husain Succeeded by Abu Zafar Obaidullah Personal details Born (1928-11-11)11 November 1928 Sylhet, Assam Province, British India Died 10 July 2001(2001-07-10) (aged 72) Dhaka, Bangladesh Resting place Shah Jalal Dargah Cemetery Party Jatiya Party (1986-1991)[1][2][3] Awami League (1996-2000) Parents Abdur Rasheed Choudhury (father) Begum Serajunnessa Choudhury (mother) Relatives Faruk Rashid Chowdhury (brother) Alma mater Fletcher School at Tufts University Awards Independence Day Award (2018)

**Humayun Rasheed Choudhury** ([Bengali](/source/Bengali_language): হুমায়ূন রশীদ চৌধুরী; 11 November 1928 – 10 July 2001) was a Bangladeshi career diplomat and [speaker](/source/Speaker_of_the_Jatiyo_Sangsad) of the [Bangladesh Parliament](/source/Bangladesh_Parliament) from 1996 to 2001. He was elected president of the 41st session of the [UN General Assembly](/source/UN_General_Assembly) in 1986.[4][5] He was also [Foreign Minister of Bangladesh](/source/Foreign_Minister_of_Bangladesh) and Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Relations. He was awarded the [Independence Day Award](/source/Independence_Day_Award) posthumously in 2018 by the [government of Bangladesh](/source/Government_of_Bangladesh).[6]

## Early life and education

Choudhury was born on 11 November 1928 to a [Bengali](/source/Bengalis) political family of hereditary [Choudhuries](/source/Choudhury) in [Sylhet](/source/Sylhet), erstwhile [British India](/source/British_India). Their ancestral home is in [Dargapasha](/source/Shantiganj_Upazila) in [Sunamganj District](/source/Sunamganj_District).[5] He was the eldest of the seven children of [Abdur Rasheed Choudhury](/source/Abdur_Rasheed_Choudhury) (d. 1944) and [Begum Serajunnessa Choudhury](/source/Begum_Serajunnessa_Choudhury) (1910–1974).[7] Abdur was a member of the [Assam Legislative Assembly](/source/Assam_Legislative_Assembly) and later a member of the [Central Legislative Assembly](/source/Central_Legislative_Assembly) in Delhi. Serajunessa was elected a member of the [Pakistan National Assembly](/source/Pakistan_National_Assembly).[8]

Choudhury passed the matriculation exam from [Sylhet Government Pilot High School](/source/Sylhet_Government_Pilot_High_School). Later he studied at [St. Edmund's College](/source/St._Edmund's_College%2C_Shillong) in [Shillong](/source/Shillong). He graduated from [Aligarh Muslim University](/source/Aligarh_Muslim_University) in 1947. He then studied for the English Bar and became a member of the [Inner Temple](/source/Inner_Temple) in London.[9] He obtained a diploma in international affairs from the London Institute of World Affairs. He later graduated from [The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy](/source/The_Fletcher_School_of_Law_and_Diplomacy) in [Massachusetts](/source/Massachusetts), United States. He gained fluency in Bengali, English, [Urdu](/source/Urdu), French, and Italian, and was conversational in [Arabic](/source/Arabic), Spanish, [Portuguese](/source/Portuguese_language), German, and [Indonesian](/source/Indonesian_language).

## Career

Humayun Rashid Choudhury with [Kamran Hossain Chowdhury](/source/Kamran_Hossain_Chowdhury) and others in 1997

Choudhury joined the [Pakistan Foreign Service](/source/Pakistan_Foreign_Service) in 1953. During his diplomatic career with Pakistan, he held various assignments in Rome, Baghdad, Paris, Lisbon, Jakarta, and New Delhi. During the [Bangladesh Liberation War](/source/Bangladesh_Liberation_War) in 1971, he defected to the [Provisional Government of Bangladesh](/source/Provisional_Government_of_Bangladesh). He negotiated the recognition of Bangladesh by over 40 countries. On [Victory Day, 1971](/source/Victory_day_of_Bangladesh), he addressed the [Indian parliament](/source/Indian_parliament) on behalf of the Bangladeshi people.[10] He became the first Bangladeshi ambassador to the [Federal Republic of Germany](/source/Federal_Republic_of_Germany) in 1972, with concurrent accreditation to Switzerland, [Austria](/source/Austria), and the [Holy See](/source/Holy_See). He was also the first permanent representative of Bangladesh to the [International Atomic Energy Agency](/source/International_Atomic_Energy_Agency) (IAEA) and the [United Nations Industrial Development Organization](/source/United_Nations_Industrial_Development_Organization) (UNIDO).[11] In 1975, Choudhury sheltered [Sheikh Hasina](/source/Sheikh_Hasina) and [Sheikh Rehana](/source/Sheikh_Rehana) at his residence in [Bonn](/source/Bonn) after the [assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman](/source/Assassination_of_Sheikh_Mujibur_Rahman).[12]

In 1976, Choudhury became the first ambassador of Bangladesh to the [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia](/source/Kingdom_of_Saudi_Arabia). He also had concurrent accreditation to [Jordan](/source/Jordan) and [Oman](/source/Oman). During this assignment, he represented Bangladesh in the [Organization of the Islamic Conference](/source/Organization_of_the_Islamic_Conference). He served as the [foreign secretary of Bangladesh](/source/Foreign_Secretary_(Bangladesh)) during 1981–1982. He was appointed ambassador to the United States in June 1982.[5] As a member or leader of his country's delegations, he attended the [United Nations General Assembly](/source/United_Nations_General_Assembly) session; the [Islamic Summit](/source/Islamic_Summit) Conference held in [Taif](/source/Taif), Saudi Arabia (1981); the Islamic Foreign Ministers' Conference in Tripoli (1977), Dakar (1978), Fez, Morocco (1979), Islamabad (1980) and Baghdad (1981); the [North-South Summit](/source/North-South_Summit) on International Cooperation and Development held in [Cancun](/source/Cancun), Mexico (1981); Meetings of the Islamic Summit-level Peace Committee to resolve [disputes between Iran and Iraq](/source/Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_War); the extraordinary session on [Afghanistan](/source/Afghanistan) of the Islamic Foreign Ministers in Islamabad (1980); and the extraordinary session on Jerusalem of the Islamic Foreign Ministers held in Amman (1980).[11]

He has also led his country's delegations to a number of bilateral meetings, including talks with India on [border delineation](/source/Bangladesh-India_border), [sharing of Ganges waters](/source/Sharing_the_water_of_the_Ganges), demarcation of the maritime boundary, the South Asia Forum ([South Asian Regional Co-operation](/source/South_Asian_Regional_Co-operation_Organisation)), [Bangladesh–Burma border](/source/Bangladesh%E2%80%93Burma_border) demarcation talks, Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia Joint Economic Talks, and others. As chairman of the fourteenth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM XIV), he presided over the Co-ordination Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Islamic Conference while attending the thirty-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly. He also led the Bangladesh delegation to the Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting of the [Non-Aligned Countries](/source/Non-Aligned_Movement) on Namibia, held in New Delhi in April 1985, and the Islamic Peace Committee Meeting, held in Jeddah in May 1985. In the 1980s, Choudhury was the [Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States](/source/List_of_ambassadors_of_Bangladesh_to_the_United_States), Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Relations.[13][14] He was a member of the [Jatiya Party](/source/Jatiya_Party) led by [Hussain Muhammad Ershad](/source/Hussain_Muhammad_Ershad). He was elected member of the National Parliament in 1996 as a nominee of the [Bangladesh Awami League](/source/Bangladesh_Awami_League) and was elected Speaker of the Parliament.[4] He died in Dhaka due to a heart attack on July 10, 2001.[4] He was buried in the [Shah Jalal Dargah Cemetery](/source/Shah_Jalal_Dargah) in [Sylhet](/source/Sylhet).[15]

## Awards

- Mahatma Gandhi Peace Prize by the [College of William and Mary](/source/College_of_William_and_Mary) in Virginia (1984)[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

- [U Thant Peace Award](/source/U_Thant_Peace_Award)[11]

- [Independence Day Award](/source/Independence_Day_Award) (2018)[16]

## Personal life

Humayun Rashid Choudhury was married to Mehjabeen Choudhury (1931–2018).[17] They had a daughter, Nasrine R Karim (1949–2010), and a son, Nauman Rasheed Choudhury (1950–2017).[17]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [https://objectstorage.ap-dcc-gazipur-1.oraclecloud15.com/n/axvjbnqprylg/b/V2Ministry/o/office-washington-mofa/2024/12/1c8928735e614a769b39625f5c7d38f3.pdf](https://objectstorage.ap-dcc-gazipur-1.oraclecloud15.com/n/axvjbnqprylg/b/V2Ministry/o/office-washington-mofa/2024/12/1c8928735e614a769b39625f5c7d38f3.pdf)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Choudhury,_Humayun_Rasheed](https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Choudhury,_Humayun_Rasheed)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [https://en.prothomalo.com/opinion/remembering-the-iconic-humayun-rasheed-choudhury](https://en.prothomalo.com/opinion/remembering-the-iconic-humayun-rasheed-choudhury)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bpedia_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bpedia_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-bpedia_4-2) Enamul Haq. ["Choudhury, Humayun Rasheed"](http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Choudhury,_Humayun_Rasheed). [Banglapedia](/source/Banglapedia): National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Retrieved 13 March 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_5-2) ["Man in the News; U.N. Enthusiast at Assembly Helm: Humayan Rasheed Choudhury"](https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/23/world/man-in-the-news-un-enthusiast-at-assembly-helm-humayan-rasheed-choudhury.html). *The New York Times*. 23 September 1986. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 12 April 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["16 personalities nominated for Independence Award-2018"](https://www.thedailystar.net/country/government-finalised-the-names-16-personalities-nominated-independence-award-2018-1537525). *The Daily Star*. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["A Legacy of Love"](https://archive.thedailystar.net/magazine/2010/06/04/tribute.htm). *The Daily Star*. 25 June 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-star_8-0)** Nasrine R Karim (11 July 2003). ["Lest we forget Humayun Rasheed Choudhury"](https://archive.thedailystar.net/2003/07/11/d30711020424.htm). *[The Daily Star](/source/The_Daily_Star_(Bangladesh))*. Retrieved 13 March 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["The Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington DC - Ambassador Humayun Rasheed Chowdhury"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201127030750/http://www.bdembassyusa.org/index.php?page=ambassador-humayun-rasheed-chowdhury). *bdembassyusa.org*. Archived from [the original](http://www.bdembassyusa.org/index.php?page=ambassador-humayun-rasheed-chowdhury) on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["HRC in Bangladesh recognized by India (LISTEN CAREFULLY AT 25 SECOND)"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cqAeG75FpE). YouTube. 14 February 2013.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-un_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-un_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-un_11-2) ["Humayun Rasheed Choudhury (Bangladesh) :Elected President of the forty-first session of the General Assembly"](https://www.un.org/en/ga/president/bios/bio41.shtml). United Nations. Retrieved 13 March 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Chowdhury, Nauman Rasheed (15 August 2014). ["August 15: Bangabandhu's daughters"](https://www.thedailystar.net/august-15-bangabandhus-daughters-37158). *The Daily Star*. Retrieved 28 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Choudhury,_Humayun_Rasheed](https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Choudhury,_Humayun_Rasheed)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** [https://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/longform/367666/in-memoriam-kamran-h-chowdhury](https://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/longform/367666/in-memoriam-kamran-h-chowdhury)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-News_15-0)** [হুমায়ুন রশীদ চৌধুরীর মৃত্যুবার্ষিকীতে শ্রদ্ধা নিবেদন](https://www.bd-pratidin.com/chayer-desh/2019/07/10/438701). *Bangladesh Pratidin* (in Bengali). 10 July 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Take country forward with Liberation War spirit: PM"](https://www.thedailystar.net/country/bangladesh-prime-minister-sheikh-hasina-hands-over-independence-day-award-2018-1553182). *The Daily Star*. UNB. 25 March 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-nasrine_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-nasrine_17-1) ["Nasrine Karim passes away"](https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-134484). *The Daily Star*. 16 April 2010.

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