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{{More citations needed|date=April 2022}}
{{Short description|Bangladeshi civil engineer (1942–2020)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jamilur Reza Choudhury
| native_name = জামিলুর রেজা চৌধুরী
| native_name_lang = bn
| image = Jamilur Reza Choudhury by Nasir Khan Saikat (1-1).jpg
| caption = Choudhury in 2018
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1943|11|15}}
| birth_place = [[Sylhet]], [[Assam Province]], [[British India]]
| nationality = Bangladeshi
| office1 = [[Vice-Chancellor]] of [[BRAC University]]
| term_start1 = 2001
| term_end1 = 2010
| predecessor1 = ''Position established''
| successor1 = [[Ainun Nishat]]
| office = [[Vice-Chancellor]] of [[University of Asia Pacific]]
| term_start = 2 May 2012
| term_end = 28 April 2020
| predecessor = [[Abdul Matin Patwari]]
| alma_mater = {{ubl|[[Dhaka College]]|[[Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology]]|[[University of Southampton]]}}
| known_for = Academics, research, civil engineering, former adviser to Caretaker Government of Bangladesh
| death_date = {{Death date and age |2020|4|28 |1943|11|15 |df=y}}
| death_place = [[Dhaka]], Bangladesh
}}

'''Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury''' (15 November 1942 – 28 April 2020) was a Bangladeshi [[civil engineer]], professor, researcher, and education advocate. He was an Adviser (Minister) to [[Caretaker government of Bangladesh|Caretaker Government of Bangladesh]] (April–June 1996).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Create professionals in disaster management|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-50570|date=2008-08-15|website=The Daily Star|language=en|access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref> He was the first vice chancellor of [[BRAC University]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury, PhD was the first Vice Chancellor of BRAC University.|url=https://www.bracu.ac.bd/news/bracu-bids-farewell-professor-jamilur-reza-choudhury|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=BRAC University Website}}</ref> and former vice chancellor of [[University of Asia Pacific]].<ref name="uap" /> He was also the president of [[Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad]] Committee from 2003. He was awarded [[Ekushey Padak]] by the [[Government of Bangladesh]] in the category of science and technology in 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/country/17-named-ekushey-padak-2017-1360108|title=17 named for Ekushey Padak 2017|date=12 February 2017|access-date=12 February 2017|newspaper=The Daily Star}}</ref> He was inducted as a [[National Professor]] by the [[Government of Bangladesh]] in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/3-educationists-become-national-professors-1592581|title=3 educationists become national professors|date=2018-06-20|work=The Daily Star|access-date=2018-06-20|language=en}}</ref>

==Early life and background==
Choudhury was born in [[Sylhet]] (during British colonial rule) on 15 November 1943. His father, Abid Reza Choudhury (1905–1991), was a civil engineer who had migrated to Dhaka in 1952 (after the [[Partition of India]]) from Rangauty, a rural area of [[Hailakandi]] ([[Assam]], India). Abid was the first Muslim to graduate from [[Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur|Bengal Engineering and Science University]], in 1929. His mother, Hayatun Nessa Choudhury (née Laskor) (1922–2010) was a homemaker, from the Nitainagar area of Hailakandi. Jamilur is the middle child of five siblings.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

==Education==
Choudhury began school in 1950 (age 6) at the [[Mymensingh Zilla School]]. After his family moved to Dhaka from Mymensingh in 1952, he transferred to Nawabpur Government High School, and transferred once more to a private Catholic school, [[St Gregory's School (Dhaka)|St Gregory's High School]], in 1953. He passed entrance examination from [[Sylhet Government Pilot High School]]. He attended [[Dhaka College]] from 1957 to 1959 and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree (Civil Engineering) from [[Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology]] (BUET) in 1963. Upon graduation from BUET (First Class First with Honours), he became a lecturer in the Civil Engineering Department that same year. He earned a Masters of Science in Engineering Degree (advanced structural engineering) in 1965 and a Ph.D. in structural engineering in 1968, both at [[University of Southampton]].

Choudhury was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering (Honoris Causa) by Manchester University on 20 October 2010 – the first person of Bangladeshi origin to receive this honor from a British University.<ref name="uap">{{cite web |title=Profile of Prof. Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury |url=http://uap-bd.edu/Prof.Dr.JRCprofile.html |website=University of Asia Pacific |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330005333/http://uap-bd.edu/Prof.Dr.JRCprofile.html |archive-date=30 March 2013 |access-date=18 December 2022}}</ref>

==Work==
Immediately after publication of results of BSC Engineering, he joined as a faculty member of the former East Pakistan University of Engineering and Technology (EPUET) pending formal appointment. In November 1963, he formally joined as a lecturer the Department of Civil Engineering and began his long teaching career. In September 1964 he was awarded a scholarship by Burmashell to pursue MS in structural engineering. His thesis was on "Cracks in Concrete Beam using Computer-Aided Design". In 1968, he was conferred a Ph.D. degree on the topic of "Shear Wall & Structural Analysis of High rise Building". After completing Ph.D. he returned to former East Pakistan in 1968 and joined the former East Pakistan University of Engineering & Technology as an assistant professor until the demise of East Pakistan and the birth of a new nation, Bangladesh. In 1973 he was promoted to associate professor of Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET) and in 1976 a full professor. In 1975, he was offered a Nuffield scholarship to pursue a post-doctoral Fellowship at Surrey University in the UK. Until 2001 he was working as a Professor at BUET. He was also entrusted with developing a "Computer Center" at BUET and was appointed the director for about 10 years.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Directors of IICT, BUET|url=https://iict.buet.ac.bd/?page_id=1984}}</ref> He served as vice-chancellor of BRAC University between 2001 and 2010.<ref>[http://www.samakal.com.bd/print_news.php?news_id=44988&pub_no=242 BRAC University Move] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120910143257/http://www.samakal.com.bd/print_news.php?news_id=44988&pub_no=242 |date=10 September 2012 }} The Daily Samakal</ref> Choudhury was appointed the chairman of the task force for developing Software Export & IT Infrastructure in Bangladesh from 1997 to 2000 under the Ministry of Commerce. He was a ranking member of the Prime Minister's Task Force on developing Digital Bangladesh. Besides he was involved with several local and international organizations.
He was working as the vice-chancellor of the [[University of Asia Pacific]] (UAP).<ref>{{Cite news |script-title=bn:এশিয়া প্যাসিফিকের উপাচার্যের দায়িত্বে জামিলুর রেজা চৌধুরী|url=http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2012-05-03/news/254613 |work=Prothom Alo |language=bn |access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref> . He was the Technical Adviser of [[Padma Bridge]].<ref name="uap" />

==Awards==
* [[Ekushey Padak]] (2017)
* Sheltech Award (2010)<ref>{{Cite news |script-title=bn:শেলেটক্ পদক পেলেন জামিলুর রেজা চৌধুরী ও আতিউর রহমান|url=http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2011-06-22/news/164395 |work=Prothom Alo |language=bn |access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref>
* Bangladesh Engineering Institution Gold medal (1998)
* Dr. Rashid Gold medal, (1997)
* Rotary Seed Award, (2000)
* Lions International (District-315) Gold Medal
* Received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Manchester. He is the only Bangladeshi, who received a doctorate degree in Engineering from a British university.<ref>{{Cite news |script-title=bn:জামিলুর রেজা চৌধুরী সম্মানসূচক ডক্টরেট ডিগ্রি পেলেন|url=http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2010-10-15/news/101514 |work=Prothom Alo |language=bn |access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref>
* Jica Recognition Award <ref>{{cite news |title=Prof Jamilur Reza gets Jica award |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/prof-jamilur-reza-gets-jica-award/ |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=11 December 2022}}</ref>
* Star Lifetime Award (2016)<ref name=star>{{cite news |title=Prof. Jamilur Reza Choudhury |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/supplements/star-lifetime-awardees-2016/prof-jamilur-reza-choudhury-212695
|newspaper=The Daily Star |date=5 February 2016 |access-date=5 November 2022}}</ref>
*[[File:JPN Kyokujitsu-sho 3Class BAR.svg|45px|ribbon bar]] [[Order of the Rising Sun|Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd Class, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon]] (2018)

== Death ==
Choudhury died on 28 April 2020 following a heart attack in his home in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh.<ref>{{Cite news |title=National Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury no more|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/obituary/2020/04/28/prof-jamilur-reza-choudhury-no-more|date=2020-04-28|work=Dhaka Tribune|access-date=2020-05-27}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Choudhury, Jamilur Reza}}
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:People from Hailakandi district]]
[[Category:Dhaka College alumni]]
[[Category:Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology alumni]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Southampton]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi civil engineers]]
[[Category:Structural engineers]]
[[Category:Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology faculty]]
[[Category:Advisors of Caretaker Government of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Fellows of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Vice-Chancellors of BRAC University]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ekushey Padak]]
[[Category:Honorary Fellows of Bangla Academy]]
[[Category:National Professors of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:St. Gregory's High School and College alumni]]

Jamilur Reza Choudhury - Revision history

Bot at 18:27, 19 October 2022