He was one of the founders of
Dhaka University. He was the first Muslim minister of united Bengal. He served as minister of education. His grandson
Muhammad Ali Bogra became the third prime minister of
Pakistan. His son, and Bogra's uncle,
Syed Hasan Ali Chowdhury, was a minister of
East Pakistan government and MP of the second Bangladesh Jatiyo Sangshad.
Author He engaged in literary and cultural activities from 1895 to 1904. In 1895 the newspapers
Mihir and
Shudhakar became
Mihir-Shudhakar. Chowdhury was its owner. He bought a press and installed it at his house in
Calcutta. He contributed in the work of
Muhammad Shahidullah,
Reazuddin Ahmed al-Mashhadi, and the poet
Md. Mozammel Haque. These writers dedicated some of their writings to Chowdhury. He also wrote books. They are: •
Eid ul Azha (1890) •
Maulud Sharif (1903) •
Vernacular Education in Bengal (1900) •
Primary Education in Rural Areas (1906) •
Some Moral and Religious Teachings of Imam Al-Ghazzali (1920)
Politics met Nawab Ali Chowdhury here. The room is decorated like the meeting date. He took part in politics after the
Partition of Bengal. Despite opposition from
Hindu Nationalists, a new province named Bengal and Assam was created. Chowdhury joined an all-Indian Muslim political organization. He condemned illiteracy as the cause of Muslim backwardness.
University of Dhaka On 29 August 1911 at a ceremony of farewell to
Lanchet Heir and reception of Charles Bailey,
Nawab Sir Salimullah and Chowdhury demanded the establishment of a university in Dhaka. On 31 January 1912, at the time of
Lord Hardinge's visit to Dhaka a committee of 19 members including Salimullah and Chowdhury met him and explained to him that Muslims have suffered because of the reunification of Bengal. For this a 13 member
Nathan Committee was formed and Chowdhury became a member. Under this committee 6 sub-committee were formed that Chowdhury joined. World War I broke out in 1914 and derailed the establishment of
University of Dhaka. Chowdhury was a member of the imperial council. In 1917 he renewed his proposal for the University of Dhaka. The Assembly passed Dhaka University Act in 1920. Class started in 1921. Chowdhury gave 16,000
taka to the University for scholarships. He mortgaged a part of his
zamidari and gave another 35,000 taka to the university. On 9 June 2003, university syndicate decided to name the senate building Syed Nawab Ali Chowdhury Building. ==Work for education==