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Dhaka //

Awami League presidium member and former minister Begum Matia Chowdhury passed away (Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun). He breathed his last on Wednesday (August 16) afternoon at the age of 82 while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital.

Hospital General Manager Arif Mahmood confirmed his death. Matia Chowdhury’s uncle Mustafa Jamal Haider also told this news to the media. According to the hospital authorities, he died around 1 pm.

Hospital authorities say that Matia Chowdhury died around 1 pm. Arif Mahmud said that Matia Chowdhury was brought to the hospital in the morning suffering from cardiac arrest. He breathed his last at 12:57 PM while under treatment.

Matia Chowdhury was born on June 30, 1942 in Pirojpur. His father Mohiuddin Ahmed Chowdhury was a police officer and mother Nurjahan Begum was a housewife. On June 18, 1964, Matia Chowdhury got married to the famous journalist Bazlur Rahman.

He got involved in student politics while studying at Eden College. In 1965, he was elected president of the Bangladesh Students’ Union. In 1967, Matia, popularly known as ‘Agnikanya’, joined the East Pakistan National Awami Party and became a member of its executive committee. Between 1970 and 1971, he was an active participant in Bangladesh’s freedom struggle, campaigning, lobbying and nursing the wounded.

In 1971, he was elected the organizing secretary of Awami League. He was also arrested several times during the period of President Ziaur Rahman and President Hussain Muhammad Ershad.

Matia Chowdhury served as the Agriculture Minister during the Awami League regime in 1996, 2009 and 2013. He was last serving as No. 1 presidium member of Awami League.

Matia Chowdhury was a prominent figure in the political arena of Bangladesh. Awami League’s long-time leader and former minister has made a special contribution to the education sector of the country. His death has cast a shadow of mourning in the political and social arena.