Justice AFM Ahsanuddin Chowdhury was the ninth President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.He was born on 1st July 1915.

Background

Chowdhury had graduated and obtained his BL Degree from Dhaka University. He joined the Bengal Civil Service (judicial) in the year 1942, and subsequently served as district judge in Sylhet

Sylhet

Sylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...

, Rangpur

Rangpur, Bangladesh

Rangpur is one of the major cities in Bangladesh. Rangpur is considered as the centre of northwestern Bangladesh. Recently established public university of Bangladesh named as "Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur" is situated in the southern part of the city. Earlier Rangpur was the headquarter of...

 and Dhaka

Dhaka

Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...

, He was appointed Justice of the Dhaka High Court on 17.12.1968 by the then President of Pakistan Field marshal Ayub Khan and later a Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court

Supreme court

A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...

 on 30.01.1974. He retired from service on 01.07.1977.

Politics

Following a military coup d'état in March 1982 the army chief of staff Hossain Mohammad Ershad

Hossain Mohammad Ershad

Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad is a Bangladeshi politician who was President of Bangladesh from 1983 to 1990. Previously, he was Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Army and then Chief Martial Law Administrator in 1982....

 assumed power as the chief martial law administrator, and Justice Ahsanuddin Chowdhury was made President of Bangladesh

President of Bangladesh

Since 1991, the President of Bangladesh is the head of state, a largely ceremonial post elected by the parliament. Since 1996, the President's role becomes more important after the term of the government has finished, when his executive authority is enhanced as laid down in the constitution of the...

 on 27 March 1982, a position which he held till 10 December 1983.

Social and welfare institutions

He was the chairman of Bangladesh Scouts, chairman of the management board and trustee board of Dhaka Child Hospital, chairman of National Foundation of Mental Health, chairman of the managing committee of Dhaka Law College, chairman of anjuman-i-mufidul islam, and chairman of Dhaka High Court mazar committee. He died on 30 August 2001.