Najma Chowdhury


Najma Chowdhury is a Bangladeshi academic. She is pioneer in establishing women studies in Bangladesh. She founded the Women and Gender Studies department of the University of Dhaka in 2000. She was an advisor in the first caretaker government in 1996. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in research in 2008.

Early life and education

Chowdhury was born on 26 February 1942 in Sylhet. She was the 3rd child of Chowdhury Imamuzzaman and Amirunnesa Khatun after the death of first two children. Her father Chowdhury Imamuzzaman was a civil engineer. Her schooling started in Assam, India. Then her family moved to Dhaka, Rajshahi as her father was transferred.
She was admitted in class three into Bidya Mandir School in Dhaka. Then again in class four, she was admitted into PN Girls' School in Rajshahi. She passed her entrance exam from Kamrunnesa Girls' School in 1956. She stood eighth among girls in East Pakistan Secondary Education Board. She passed her HSC from Holy Cross College, Dhaka. She stood ninth in the merit list in East Pakistan Higher Secondary Education Board.
Najma Chowdhury completed her graduation and post graduation in political science in University of Dhaka.

Career

Academic career

Chowdhury started her career as a lecturer in political science department in University of Dhaka in 1963.
In 1966, she got a Commonwealth Scholarship to attain a PhD from SOAS, University of London. After getting her PhD, she returned to Bangladesh in 1972. She was chairperson of political science department for 1984 to 1987. She introduced women empowerment and development related courses in the department.
She served as a visiting scholar at University of Minnesota in 1988 under Fulbright fellowship for three months.
With the effort of her and few other teachers, Women and Gender Studies department was established in University of Dhaka in 2000. She joined the department as a professor in 2003 and later served as chairperson. She was also professor emeritus at the university.

Political career

She served as an advisor in the first caretaker government in 1996. She served in ministry of women and children and ministry of social welfare, labour and manpower.

Published works

Chowdhury is a friend of Barbara Nelson and they edited a book Women and Politics Worldwide in 1994 published by Yale University Press. The book won Victoria Schuck Award in 1995.
She attended the General Assembly of United Nations in 1978 and 1986 as a representative of Bangladesh. She also attended UNESCO general conference in Belgrade in 1980. She participated in World Conference on Women in Nairobi in 1985 and Preceding the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. She served as president of Women for Women.

Personal life

Chowdhury married Mainur Reza Chowdhury in 1961. Mainur Reza Chowdhury was a student of English department in the University of Dhaka at that time, later he became the Chief Justice of Bangladesh. He died in 2004. She gave birth of her first child, Lamiya Chowdhury in 1965. Her second daughter is Bushra Hasina Chowdhury.

Awards

Najma Chowdhury received Ekushey Padak for her outstanding contribution to research in 2008. She was honoured "Rokeya Chair" in 2007 by University Grants Commission.