Munier Choudhury

Choudhury's ancestors were originated from Chatkhil, Noakhali. Then he grew up in the residence Darul Afia, named after her mother, among 14 siblings. Later, in 1958, he obtained his third master's degree in linguistics from Harvard University. ==Academic career==

In 1947, Choudhury started his career in teaching at Brajalal College in Khulna. He moved to Jagannath College in Dhaka in 1950. ==Political activity==

Choudhury was associated with leftist politics and progressive cultural movements. In 1948, he attended the Communist Party Conference in Kolkata. He was elected Secretary of the "Progoti Lekhok O Shilpi Songho" (Progressive Writers and Artists Association). In 1952, he was arrested under the Preventive Detention Act for protesting against police repression and the killing of students on the Language Movement. In 1967, he protested the Pakistan government's ban on Tagore songs on radio and television. In the early 1950s, there was a movement in Pakistan to replace the Bengali language alphabet with the Arabic alphabet. As a linguist and writer, Choudhury protested this move to undermine the native language of East Pakistan. He actively participated in the non-co-operation movement during the early part of 1971 and renounced his award Sitara-e-Imtiaz, awarded by the government of Pakistan in 1966. ==Literary works==

During his imprisonment in 1952–54, he wrote his symbolic drama on the historic language movement, Kabar (The Grave). • Mir-Manas, 1965 – literary critique of Mir Mosharraf Hossain's literature • Ektala-Dotala (first ever Bengali drama telecast on television), 1965 • Dandakaranya, 1966 • Tulanamulak Samalochana (Comparative critique), 1969 • Bangla Gadyariti (Bengali literary style), 1970 ==Awards==

• Bangla Academy Literary Award (1962) • Daud Prize (1965) • Sitara-i-Imtiaz (denounced, 1966) • Independence Day Award (posthumously, 1980) • Bangladesh Mujibnagar Staff Welfare Association Commemoration (posthumously, 1992) • Language Activist and Political Prisoner Council Commemoration (posthumously, 1993) • Liberation War Teachers' Council Commemoration (posthumously, 1996) • Dhaka University Alumni Association Commemoration (posthumously, 2018) • Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commemoration (posthumously, 2019) ==Death==

After the Pakistani army crackdown in 1971 in the University of Dhaka area from which Chowdhury escaped like many, he moved to his parents' house, near Hatirpool. His dead body could not be identified. On 3 November, the same year, both of them were sentenced in absentia after the court found that they were involved in the abduction and murders of 18 people – nine Dhaka University teachers including Choudhury, six journalists and three physicians – in December 1971. ==Personal life==

Choudhury was married to Lily Choudhury (1928–2021). Together, they had three sons, Ahmed Munier, Ashfaque Munier (Mishuk) (1959-2011) and Asif Munier (born 1967). Ashfaq was a cinematographer. Ahmed is retired and previously worked for UN missions in Africa. Asif is a human rights activist and works in the development sector. He was a founder member of Projonmo Ekattor, a human rights group. Choudhury's notable siblings include actress Ferdousi Mazumder, National Professor Kabir Chowdhury (1923–2011), columnist Shamsher Choudhury (d. 2012), language activist Nadera Begum (d. 2013) and the first Bengali Cadet to be awarded Sword of Honour at Pakistan Military Academy, Lt. Colonel Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury (died 2013). Another sister, Rahela Banu, is married to Shawkat Hussain, a former professor of English at the University of Dhaka. ==Legacy==

Since 1989, a Bangladeshi theater troupe named Theatre has been conferring theater personalities for their contribution to the performing art form with Munier Chowdhury Shammanona award. Bangla Academy confers Shaheed Munier Choudhury Memorial Award to book publishing houses for the merit of quality of printing and aesthetic values. Central Road, the street in Dhaka where Choudhury lived, was renamed to Shaheed Munier Chowdhury Road. ==References==