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Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury is a Bangladeshi zoologist, entomologist, and rights activists.[1] He is the former chairman of the National River Conservation Commission.[2] He is the chairman of the Centre for Governance Studies.[3]
Chowdhury was born in Datta Para, Shibchar Upazila, Madaripur District.[4] He graduated from Dhaka College.[4] He completed his undergrad in Zoology and masters in Entomology from the University of Dhaka.[4] He conducted research at the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission.[4] He completed his PhD at the University of Georgia.[4]
Chowdhury joined the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission as a scientific officer.[4] He was a fellow at the International Atomic Energy Agency.[4] In 1989, he returned to Bangladesh and launched SAFEWAY, a pest control company.[4] He worked at University of Dhaka, and Jahangirnagar University.[4] In 2005, he lived in New York City.[5]
Chowdhury was the President of Zoological Society of Bangladesh.[4] He was the Chairman of Al-Helal Printing and Publishers Limited, which published the now defunct The Bangladesh Observer, which was the oldest English language newspaper at the time of its closing in 2010.[6]
In February 2022, Chowdhury, was appointed chairman of National River Conservation Commission.[7][8] In September 2023, Chowdhury said interference from the government and lack of cooperation was making the commission ineffective.[9] Chowdhury blamed Dipu Moni, Minister of Education and member of parliament, for getting the Chandpur District Commissioner and a Hilsa fish researcher removed.[9][10] He called for the jailing of Atiqul Islam, Mayor of North Dhaka City, and Taqsem A Khan, managing director of Dhaka WASA, for failing in their duties to protect rivers.[10][11] He also criticized the budget of 50 million BDT as being insufficient.[9] On 18 October 2023, the government of Bangladesh removed him citing "public interest".[7][8] The removal was criticized by Transparency International Bangladesh saying it contradicted governments commitment to protect rivers.[7] The Daily Star wrote a critical editorial against his removal.[12]
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