Fazlul Halim Chowdhury

Fazlul Halim Chowdhury (1 August 19309 April 1996) was a fellow of the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences and one of the longest-serving Vice-Chancellors of the University of Dhaka. He made pioneering contributions to the development of physical chemistry in Bangladesh, publishing more than 20 articles. He focused on cellulose fibers (especially jute), polyelectrolytes, and proteins.

Early life Chowdhury was born on 1 August 1930 to Abdul Aziz Chowdhury, an educationist and Afifa Khatun of Kunja Sreepur village, in Comilla District, Bengal Presidency.

Education BSc (Hons), Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, First in the First Class MSc, Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, First in the First Class, 1951 PhD, Manchester University, UK (Thesis entitled "The Acid Behaviour of Carboxylic Derivatives", 5 July 1956) Awarded "Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851" to pursue PhD studies.

Academic career

Lecturer, 1952–53; assistant professor, 195658, Department of Chemistry, Dhaka University Professor, Department of Chemistry and Applied Chemistry, Rajshahi University, 195890 Nuffield Fellow, Cambridge University, U.K. 196062 Dean, Faculty of Science, Rajshahi University, 1972 Commonwealth Senior Fellow, Cambridge University, U.K. 197374 Member, University Grants Commission (UGC), 197476 Vice Chancellor, University of Dhaka, 197683 Fellow of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, 1979 Asia Foundation Fellowship, 1984 President, Bangladesh Chemical Society, 198486 Senior Advisor in Basic Sciences, UNESCO, New Delhi, 198590 University of Asia Pacific, Dhaka, 199596 President, The Rajshahi University Teachers Association Provost, Abdul Latif Hall, Rajshahi University Senior Researcher, American Association for the Advancement of Science Washington D.C.

Research

Chowdhury made pioneering contributions to the development of physical chemistry in the country, publishing more than 20 articles. He focused on cellulose fibers (of jute in particular), polyelectrolytes, and proteins. He also guided a number of PhD theses.

References