View source for A.B.M. Fazle Karim Chowdhury

{{Short description|Bangladeshi politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = A.B.M. Fazle Karim Chowdhury
| native_name         = এ.বি.এম ফজলে করিম চৌধুরী
| image               = 
| nationality         = Bangladeshi
| profession          = Business
| residence           = 
| office              = [[Member of Parliament]]
| term_start          = 5 January 2014
| term_end3           = 
| predecessor         = [[Hasan Mahmud (politician)|Mohammad Hasan Mahmud]]
| successor           = 
| office3             = 
| constituency        = [[Chittagong-6]]
| constituency1       = [[Chittagong-5]]
| term_start1         = 2008
| term_end1           = 2014
| predecessor1        = [[Syed Wahidul Alam]]
| successor1          = [[Anisul Islam Mahmud]]
| office1             = 
| constituency2       = [[Chittagong-6]]
| term_start2         = 2001
| term_end2           = 2006
| predecessor2        = [[Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury]]
| successor2          = [[Hasan Mahmud (politician)|Mohammad Hasan Mahmud]]
| alma_mater          = [[University of Chittagong]]
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1954|11|06|df=yes}}
| father              = [[AKM Fazlul Kabir Chowdhury]]
| birth_place         = [[Chittagong]], [[East Pakistan]]
| party               = [[Bangladesh Awami League]]
| relatives           = [[List of political families#Bangladesh|The Chowdhury Dynasty]]
| relations           = {{Unbulleted list| [[Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury]] (cousin)| [[Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury]] (cousin)| [[Salman F Rahman]] (cousin)}}
}}

'''A.B.M. Fazle Karim Chowdhury''' is a Bangladesh Awami League politician and the incumbent Member of Parliament of Raozan upazila in Chittagong District.<ref>{{cite web|title=Declare Halda river an ecologically critical area|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/city/declare-halda-river-ecologically-critical-area-1342078|work=The Daily Star|accessdate=21 January 2017|date=8 January 2022}}</ref> He is the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Railways Ministry.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Report|first=Star Online|date=2020-10-20|title=JS sub-committee formed to look into alleged corruption in tender, procurement in railways|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/country/news/js-sub-committee-formed-look-alleged-corruption-tender-procurement-railways-1981389|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Chowdhury was born on 6 November 1954.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=A.B.M. Fazle Karim Chowdhury -এ.বি.এম ফজলে করিম চৌধুরী Biography|url=https://amarmp.com/mp/742/biography|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Amarmp|language=en}}</ref> He has a B.A. and a M.A. degree.<ref name=":1" /> His father was [[AKM Fazlul Kabir Chowdhury]] and his uncle was [[Fazlul Quader Chowdhury]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=Cousin castigates SQ Chowdhury|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2003/07/16/d30716011010.htm|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-02|website=archive.thedailystar.net|publisher=The Daily Star|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102202823/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2003/07/16/d30716011010.htm |archive-date=2 January 2022 }}</ref> His cousins and Bangladesh Nationalist Party politicians, [[Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury|Salauddin Quader Chowdhury]] and [[Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury]], was a major political opponent of Chowdhury in Chittagong.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Ctg people want to get rid of SQ Chy reign|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/cache/cached-news-details-69433.html|access-date=2022-01-02|website=archive.thedailystar.net}}</ref>

==Career==
Chowdhury was elected to Parliament in 2001 from [[Chittagong-6]] as an Awami League candidate with 52 percent of the vote.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2018-11-25|title=Chattogram-6 - Constituency detail of Bangladesh General Election 2018|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/bangladesh-national-election-2018/seats?s=Chattogram-6&d=chattogram|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en}}</ref> He imported a duty free [[Mercedes-Benz]] using his privilege as a member of parliament.<ref>{{cite web|title=NBR wants cancellation of duty-free car import by MPs|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/03/25/d7032501022.htm|work=The Daily Star|accessdate=21 January 2022}}</ref> He faced two murder charges; he received acquittal in one and a discharge in another.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Islam|first=Zyma|date=2019-01-11|title=What do the affidavits of our MPs disclose about their past?|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/star-weekend/politics/news/what-skeletons-hide-the-parliament-building-1685707|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en}}</ref> Charges were pressed against him in 2003 over the murder of Srikanta Rakshit, a computer engineer, in Chittagong.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=11 August 2003|title=Charges pressed against AL MP, 16 others for Srikanta murder|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2003/08/11/d30811011414.htm|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-02|website=archive.thedailystar.net|publisher=The Daily Star|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102201841/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2003/08/11/d30811011414.htm |archive-date=2 January 2022 }}</ref> He called it fake charges and blamed his political rivals, [[Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury]] and [[Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury]].<ref name=":2" /> Charges were framed against him in the Chittagong Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 4 Num 227|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/01/14/d40114011919.htm|access-date=2022-01-02|website=archive.thedailystar.net}}</ref>

Chowdhury was re-elected to Parliament from [[Chittagong-5]] as a candidate of Awami League with 49 percent of the votes.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-11-25|title=Chattogram-5 - Constituency detail of Bangladesh General Election 2018|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/bangladesh-national-election-2018/seats?s=Chattogram-5&d=chattogram|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en}}</ref> Chowdhury served as the Chairman of the Parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Staff Correspondent|last2=Chittagong|date=2010-01-29|title=New law to facilitate housing on cards|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-123918|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en}}</ref> He was a member of the parliamentary standing committee on the Chittagong Hill Tracts affairs ministry.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Correspondent|first=Our|last2=Khagrachhari|date=2009-07-20|title=45,000 acre hills lands not used as per lease terms|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-97840|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en}}</ref>

Chowdhury was elected to parliament from [[Chittagong-6]] in 2014 as an Awami League candidate in an uncontested election boycotted by other political parties.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A.B.M. Fazle Karim Chowdhury -এ.বি.এম ফজলে করিম চৌধুরী History|url=https://amarmp.com/mp/742/history|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Amarmp|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> According to his wealth statement, he made significant profit from fish farming at around 25 million taka.<ref>{{cite web|title='Love' for land knows no bounds|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/love-for-land-knows-no-bounds-5075|website=The Daily Star|accessdate=21 January 2017|date=2 January 2022}}</ref>

In January 2015, Chowdhury was elected to the Human Rights Committee of the [[Inter-Parliamentary Union]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Report|first=Star Online|date=2015-01-26|title=AL lawmaker elected vice-president of IPU HR body|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/al-lawmaker-elected-vice-president-of-ipu-hr-body-61792|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en}}</ref>

Chowdhury was re-elected to Parliament in 2018 as a candidate of Awami League with 230, 471 votes while his nearest rival, [[Jashim Uddin Shikder]] of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, received 2, 244 votes.<ref name=":0" /> In December 2019, he stood for the election of President of Chittagong unit of Awami League but lost to MA Salam.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Staff Correspondent|last2=Ctg|date=2019-12-08|title=Salam, Ataur at AL Ctg north helm|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/news/salam-ataur-al-ctg-north-helm-1837198|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en}}</ref>

Chowdhury tested positive for COVID-19 in August 2020 during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Report|first=Star Online|date=2020-08-18|title=AL lawmaker Fazle Karim Chowdhury tests positive for Covid-19|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/city/news/al-lawmaker-fazle-karim-chowdhury-tests-positive-covid-19-1947013|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en}}</ref>

On 24 August 2021, Chowdhury chaired a meeting of the Parliamentary standing committee on the Railway Ministry.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-24|title=Want to oversee development activities of railways: Lawmakers at parliamentary body meeting|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/governance/news/want-oversee-development-activities-railways-lawmakers-parliamentary-body-meeting-2159996|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825022551/https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/governance/news/want-oversee-development-activities-railways-lawmakers-parliamentary-body-meeting-2159996 |archive-date=25 August 2021 }}</ref> In November 2021, nearly all candidates, over 100, in the [[Union Parishad]] elections were elected uncontested as politicians from parties other than Awami League were prevent from standing by Chowdhury and Awami League activists allegedly.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Dey|first=Arun Bikash|date=2021-11-11|title=UP Polls in Raozan: All candidates in 14 unions to win uncontested|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/elections/news/polls-raozan-all-candidates-14-unions-win-uncontested-2227016|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bhattacharjee|first=Partha Pratim|last2=Hasan|first2=Rashidul|date=2021-11-14|title=Third Phase Up Polls: Walkovers, AL rebels increase|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/elections/news/third-phase-polls-walkovers-al-rebels-increase-2229161|access-date=2022-01-02|website=The Daily Star|language=en}}</ref> Chowdhury denied all allegations against him.<ref name=":3" />

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chowdhury, A.B.M. Fazle Karim}}
[[Category:1995 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Chittagong District]]
[[Category:Awami League politicians]]
[[Category:9th Jatiya Sangsad members]]
[[Category:10th Jatiya Sangsad members]]
[[Category:11th Jatiya Sangsad members]]
[[Category:8th Jatiya Sangsad members]]