Matia Chowdhury dies
Begum Matia Chowdhury, former minister and Awami League lawmaker, has died.
She breathed her last while undergoing treatment at the Evercare Hospital in the capital this afternoon (16 October), the hospital's General Manager Arif Mahmood told the media.
The veteran politician, also the Awami League's presidium member, was elected five times a member of parliament of the Sherpur-2 constituency during 2009–2024.
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She was the minister of agriculture from 1996 to 2001 and then again from 2009 to 2019 during the previous tenures of Bangladesh Awami League.
In 2023, she was elected as a deputy leader of the parliament.
She was renowned and respected for her commitment to public service and her fiery speeches, earning her the nickname "Agni Kanya" or "Woman of Fire."
She was born on 30 June 1942 in Nazirpur of Pirojpur District. She graduated from the University of Dhaka.
Her political career began in 1962. She joined the then-East Pakistan National Awami Party in 1967.
During the Liberation War in 1971, she played a role as an organiser in forming a joint guerrilla force comprising members of the National Awami Party, the Communist Party, and the Student Union.
She left the National Awami Party and joined Awami League in 1979.
By 1986, she had become the party's secretary for agricultural affairs and was eventually included in the party's policy-making council.
During her political career, Matia was elected a member of parliament (MP) six times and a minister in 1996, 2009, and 2014. She was also the deputy leader of the house in the last parliament.
