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Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury (popularly known as Nixon Chowdhury; born 3 March 1978) is a Bangladeshi politician and a former Member of Parliament representing the Faridpur-4 constituency. He has been missing along with his brother Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury Liton and other family members, ever since the resignation of his aunt Sheikh Hasina on 5 August 2024.

Early life

Chowdhury was born on 3 March 1978 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He came from a Bengali Muslim family of Chowdhuries from the village of Duttapara in Shibchar, Madaripur District. His parents, Ilias Ahmed Chowdhury and Sheikh Feroza Begum, were cousins of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. His father was a politician and came from a zamindar family whilst his mother, Sheikh Feroza Begum, was a housewife. Chowdhury had Iraqi Arab ancestry through both of his grandmothers, who were direct descendants of the 17th-century Muslim preacher Sheikh Abdul Awal of Baghdad. Both of his grandmothers were also sisters of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His maternal grandfather, Sheikh Nurul Haque, was also from the Sheikh-Wazed family. His brother Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury is a member of parliament.

Education

He studied up to SSC or grade ten.

Career

Chowdhury has been elected as a member of parliament for the 2nd time in 2018 Bangladeshi general election from Faridpur-4 constituency. He beat Awami League candidate Kazi Zafarullah. Previously he was elected to Parliament for the first time from Faridpur-4 as an independent rebel candidate beating Awami League candidate and the then Member of Parliament from Faridpur-4, Nilufer Zafar Ullah. In 2020, Chowdhury was made a presidium member of Jubo League.

Controversy

Chowdhury was criticised for his role in the Padma Bridge graft scandal. SNC-Lavalin admitted to bribing him in order to obtain contracts. He was questioned by the Anti-Corruption Commission regarding this case. Soon after the case emanated, Sheikh Hasina disavowed her nephew and campaigned for his opponent during the 2014 Bangladeshi general election.

Chowdhury reportedly threatened civil servants working in Faridpur-4. He reportedly also called the UNO of Charbhadrasan and verbally abused him. A complaint letter against Chowdhury, issued by the Cabinet Division, said that "MP Nixon Chowdhury had threatened and defamed the Faridpur district commissioner, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), executive magistrates and the local administration on the day of the election, the day before, and the day after." He also defamed and threatened the DC of Faridpur in a political rally, calling him a 'razakar'. An audio clip of Nixon Chowdhury verbally abusing an executive went viral on social media, although he claimed it was fabricated. The Election Commission has filed a case against him for violating electoral code of conduct. Chowdhury's lawyers filed a petition with the High Court of Bangladesh seeking anticipatory bail. He was granted an anticipatory bail by on 21 October 2020.

Personal life

Chowdhury's first wife died under suspicious circumstances. While his personal assistant claimed she "slipped and fell" from the rooftop of the couple's six story apartment building, an unnatural death case was filed with Gulshan police. An autopsy was never performed and her family took the body without an official autopsy. They had one daughter, Nazora Chowdhury.

He is currently married to Tareen Hossain, managing director of The Daily Ittefaq. She is the granddaughter of Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah and daughter of Anwar Hossain Manju. They have a son together.

References

1. ^ "Constituency 214_11th_En". Bangladesh Parliament. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
2. "Madaripur 1 constituency: BNP attempts to win-over Awami League supporters". Dhaka Tribune. 23 November 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
3. Haque Khoka, Mominul (1998). অস্তরাগের স্মৃতি সমুজ্জ্বল : বঙ্গবন্ধু, তাঁর পরিবার ও আমি (in Bengali). Dhaka: Shahitya Prakash. p. 24. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
4. ^ "Rebel candidate beats AL presidium member". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
5. "Rebels stun AL bigwigs". The Daily Star. 6 January 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
6. "MP Nixon made JL presidium member". New Age. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
7. "Jubo League announces full central committee". Dhaka Tribune. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
8. "Padma bridge bribe was ready for 6". The Daily Star. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
9. "ACC quizzes SNC-Lavalin's local agent". The Daily Star. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
10. "Probe to go on despite WB decision". The Daily Star. 1 July 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
11. "Names should not be disclosed now". The Daily Star. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
12. "Padma bridge bribe was ready for 6". The Daily Star. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
13. "Hasina: Do not vote for Padma scam accused". Dhaka Tribune. 26 December 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
14. "MP Nixon threatens Faridpur DC over arrest of his supporters". Dhaka Tribune. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
15. ফরিদপুরের ডিসিকে হুমকি, এসিল্যান্ডকে গালিগালাজ সাংসদ নিক্সনের. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 12 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
16. "Somoy Tv News" ম্যাজিস্ট্রেটকে গালিগালাজের অভিযোগ ফরিদপুর-৪ এমপির বিরুদ্ধে. Somoy News (in Bengali). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
17. ফরিদপুরের এসিল্যান্ডকে এমপি নিক্সনের গালিগালাজ, হুমকী-ভিডিও অডিও সোশ্যাল মিডিয়ায়. London Times News (in Bengali). 11 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
18. "Cabinet files complaint against MP Nixon at Election Commission". Dhaka Tribune. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
19. "MP Nixon 'threatens Faridpur DC' over arrest of his suppor..." UNB. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
20. "MP Nixon: The audio clip was 'super' edited". Dhaka Tribune. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
21. "EC files case against MP Nixon". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
22. "EC prosecutes Faridpur lawmaker Nixon Chowdhury". New Age. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
23. "EC to sue Faridpur-4 MP for polls code breach". The Daily Star. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
24. "Nixon seeks anticipatory bail from HC in EC case". The Financial Express. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
25. "MP Nixon seeks anticipatory bail in EC case". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
26. "Supreme Court upholds MP Nixon's bail". Dhaka Tribune. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
27. "Violating polls code: Nixon Chowdhury gets anticipatory bail". The Daily Star. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
28. "Unnatural death of MP Nixon's wife". Dhaka Tribune. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
29. "Family takes Muntarin's body without autopsy". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 24 April 2021.

• 1978 births
• Living people
• Awami League politicians
• 10th Jatiya Sangsad members
• 11th Jatiya Sangsad members
• 12th Jatiya Sangsad members
• Independent politicians in Bangladesh
• People from Madaripur District
• Politicians from Dhaka Division