imported>Worldbruce: Per Template:Infobox person/doc, "What the place may correspond to on a modern map is a matter for an article's main text."

2025-06-22T02:52:05Z

Per Template:Infobox person/doc, "What the place may correspond to on a modern map is a matter for an article's main text."

New page

{{Short description|British diplomat of Bangladeshi origin (born 1959)}}
{{Distinguish|Anwar Chowdhry}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Anwar Choudhury
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Anwar Choudhury (Cayman governor portrait) (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| office = [[Governor of the Cayman Islands]]
| term_start = 26 March 2018
| term_end = 20 September 2018
| monarch = [[Elizabeth II]]
| predecessor = [[Helen Kilpatrick]]
| successor = [[Martyn Roper]]
| office2 = [[List of diplomats of the United Kingdom to Peru|British Ambassador to Peru]]
| term_start2 = 2014
| term_end2 = 2018
| monarch2 = [[Elizabeth II]]
| primeminister2 = [[David Cameron]]<br />[[Theresa May]]
| predecessor2 = James Dauris
| successor2 = Kate Harrisson
| office3 = [[List of High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to Bangladesh|British High Commissioner to Bangladesh]]
| term_start3 = 2004
| term_end3 = 2008
| monarch3 = [[Elizabeth II]]
| primeminister3 = [[Tony Blair]]<br />[[Gordon Brown]]
| predecessor3 = [[David Carter (diplomat)|David Carter]]
| successor3 = [[Stephen Evans (diplomat)|Stephen Evans]]
| birth_name = Anwar Bakht Choudhury
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1959|6|15}}
| birth_place = [[Jagannathpur Upazila|Jagannathpur]], [[Sylhet Division|Sylhet]], [[East Pakistan]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| spouse = Momina Choudhury
| party =
| relations =
| children = 4
| residence = [[Aylesbury]], Buckinghamshire, England
| alma_mater = [[University of Salford]]<br />[[Durham University]]
| occupation =
| profession = Diplomat
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| website =
| footnotes =
| caption = Official Portrait, 2017
}}

'''Anwar Bakht Choudhury''' ({{langx|bn|আনোয়ার বখত চৌধুরী}}; born 15 June 1959) is a British diplomat<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jun/14/cayman-islands-governor-recalled-anwar-choudhury |title=UK recalls Cayman Islands governor over unspecified allegations |date=2018-06-14 |website=theguardian.com |language=en |access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref> of [[Bangladeshi]] origin. Through his career, he has served as [[Governor of the Cayman Islands]], [[List of diplomats of the United Kingdom to Peru|British Ambassador to Peru]], Director of International Institutions at the [[Foreign & Commonwealth Office]] and [[List of High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to Bangladesh|British High Commissioner to Bangladesh]]. Choudhury has spent much of his life working intimately with the British Bangladeshi community, cementing himself as a respected figure through his many public appearances and charitable work.

==Early life==
Choudhury was born on 15 June 1959, to a [[Bengali Muslim]] family in [[East Pakistan]] (now [[Bangladesh]]). His family is originally from the village of Prabhakarpur, [[Patli Union]], [[Jagannathpur Upazila|Jagannathpur]],{{citation needed|date=December 2020}} [[Sunamganj District|Sunamganj]], and moved to the United Kingdom when he was young.<ref name="bbc1">{{cite news |title=Profile: Anwar Choudhury |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3735225.stm |url-status=live |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=21 May 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227174304/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3735225.stm |archive-date=27 December 2008 |access-date=14 December 2008}}</ref>

==Education==
Choudhury followed an unusual route into the [[Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service|Diplomatic Service]]; in 1985, he attained a [[Bachelor of Science|BSc]] in [[Electrical engineering|Electrical and Electronic Engineering]] from the [[University of Salford]]. He worked at [[Siemens Plessey]], before entering the Civil Service as an engineering strategist with the [[Royal Air Force]]. In 1995, he graduated with a [[Master of Business Administration]] from [[Durham University]].<ref name="fco1">{{cite web |url=http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/kfile/EthnicMinoritiesinBritain%5B2%5D,0.pdf |title=Ethnic Minorities in Britain |publisher=Foreign and Commonwealth Office |access-date=22 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060612181627/http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/kfile/EthnicMinoritiesinBritain%5B2%5D%2C0.pdf |archive-date=12 June 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Career==
Choudhury was promoted through the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] until 2000, when he was recruited by the [[Cabinet Office]], before being [[recruitment|headhunted]] for the position of [[List of High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to Bangladesh|High Commissioner to Bangladesh]].<ref name="telegraph"/> He was succeeded in 2008 by [[Stephen Evans (diplomat)|Stephen Evans]]. When he was appointed as High Commissioner to Bangladesh in 2004, he became one of the first two British ambassadors from [[ethnic minority]] backgrounds to be appointed in modern times (the other being [[Alp Mehmet]], who was appointed Ambassador to Iceland).<ref name="fco2">{{cite web |url=http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/pdf12/fco_race-equalityscheme |title=Foreign and Commonwealth Office Race Equality Scheme 2005–2008 |location=London |publisher=Foreign and Commonwealth Office |page=5 |access-date=4 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925225340/http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/pdf12/fco_race-equalityscheme |archive-date=25 September 2012}}</ref> He was sworn in as [[Governor of the Cayman Islands]] on 26 March 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2018/03/26/governor-choudhury-sworn-in/ |title=Governor Choudhury sworn in |date=27 March 2018 |work=Cayman Compass |access-date=2018-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327072322/https://www.caymancompass.com/2018/03/26/governor-choudhury-sworn-in/ |archive-date=2018-03-27}}</ref>

===Grenade attack===
{{main|2004 Shah Jalal bombing}}
On 21 May 2004, Choudhury was targeted in a failed [[grenade]] attack, in which he was wounded and two bystanders were killed. The attempted assassination came as he was leaving the [[Shah Jalal Dargah|Dargah-e-Shah Jalal]] mosque in [[Sylhet Division]], his home province, following [[Jumu'ah]] (Friday prayers).<ref name="thedailystar">{{cite news |title=Blast at Shahjalal shrine injures British HC, kills 2 |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/05/22/d4052201011.htm |volume=4 |issue=348 |work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |location=Bangladesh |date=22 May 2004 |access-date=24 December 2008 |archive-date=2 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702222156/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/05/22/d4052201011.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref> In December 2008, three attackers were [[Capital punishment|sentenced to death]]<ref name="bbc3">{{cite news |title=Three to die for UK envoy attack |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7797096.stm |url-status=live |publisher=BBC News |date=23 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224015040/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7797096.stm |archive-date=24 December 2008 |access-date=23 December 2008}}</ref>
and two others to life in prison for the attack.<ref name="guardian">{{cite news |last=Percival |first=Jenny |date=23 December 2008 |title=Death sentences for Bangladesh grenade attack on British envoy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/dec/23/bangladesh-diplomat-grenade-sentence |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=24 December 2008}}</ref><ref name="sylhettimes">{{cite news |title=Grenade {{sic|ata|ck |nolink=y}} on Anwar Choudhury: Mufti Hannan among four indicted |url=http://www.sylhettimes.com/2007/08/01/grenade-atack-on-anwar-choudhury-mufti-hannan-among-four-indicted-2/ |work=The Sylhet Times |date=1 August 2007 |access-date=24 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821212328/http://www.sylhettimes.com/2007/08/01/grenade-atack-on-anwar-choudhury-mufti-hannan-among-four-indicted-2/ |archive-date=21 August 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Recall to London===
Choudhury was recalled to London in June 2018 after unsubstantiated allegations of misconduct.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fuller |first=Brent |date=25 July 2018 |title=UK uses data protection rules to block Governor Choudhury details |url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2018/07/25/uk-uses-data-protection-rules-to-block-governor-choudhury-details/ |work=Cayman Compass |access-date=2024-09-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ford |first=Richard |date=25 June 2018 |title=Governor of Caymans 'asked maid for massage' |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/governor-of-caymans-anwar-choudhury-asked-maid-for-massage-kmsgrdrrc |work=The Times |access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jun/14/cayman-islands-governor-recalled-anwar-choudhury |title=UK recalls Cayman Islands governor over unspecified allegations |last=Wintour |first=Patrick |date=2018-06-14 |work=The Guardian |language=en |access-date=2018-06-24}}</ref> On 20 September 2018 it was announced that he would not be returning to the Cayman Islands<ref>{{Cite news |title=Choudhury removed as Cayman Islands governor |url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2018/09/20/breaking-choudhury-removed-as-cayman-islands-governor/ |newspaper=Cayman Compass |date=20 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921012917/https://www.caymancompass.com/2018/09/20/breaking-choudhury-removed-as-cayman-islands-governor/ |archive-date=21 September 2018}}</ref> despite no criminal actions being found to have been committed Choudhury,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fuller |first=Brent |date=25 July 2018 |title=Petition to reinstate Gov. Choudhury issued |url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2018/07/25/petition-to-reinstate-gov-choudhury-issued/ |work=Cayman Compass |access-date=2024-09-09}}</ref> widespread popularity, and petitions to reinstate him being circulated by local government officials.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bringbackgovernorchoudhury.weebly.com/ |title=Bring Back Governor Choudhury |date=2018-07-22 |website=weebly.com |language=en |access-date=2024-09-09}}</ref>

{{s-start}}
{{s-dip}}
{{s-bef|before=[[David Carter (diplomat)|David Carter]]}}
{{s-ttl
|title=[[List of High Commissioners from the United Kingdom to Bangladesh|British High Commissioner to Bangladesh]]
|years=2004–2008
}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Stephen Evans (diplomat)|Stephen Evans]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[James Dauris]]}}
{{s-ttl
|title=[[List of diplomats of the United Kingdom to Peru|British Ambassador to Peru]]
|years=2014–2018
}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Kate Harrisson]]}}
{{s-gov}}
{{s-bef | before = [[Helen Kilpatrick]] }}
{{s-ttl | title = [[Governor of the Cayman Islands]] | years = March 2018– September 2018}}
{{s-aft | after = [[Martyn Roper]] }}
{{s-end}}

==Personal life==
Choudhury is a [[Muslim]].<ref name="guardian"/> His main interests include folk music of Bengal ([[baul]]). He is also passionate about community integration and protection of the UK abroad. He is married to Momina Choudhury and has three daughters. He also has a son from his first marriage. He has three brothers. His hobbies include playing [[cricket]] and [[bridge (game)|bridge]]. He has interest in [[Bangladeshi cuisine]] too.<ref name="bbc1"/>

Choudhury has dismissed suggestions of a conflict of loyalty, stating that [[Cricket test|he would support]] the [[English cricket team]] against [[Bangladeshi cricket team|the one in Bangladesh]].<ref name="telegraph">{{cite news |last=Roy |first=Amit |date=15 December 2003 |title=Bangladeshi-born Briton for Dhaka |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F12%2F15%2Fndhaka15.xml |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050319163650/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F12%2F15%2Fndhaka15.xml |archive-date=19 March 2005 |url-status=dead |access-date=4 May 2014}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[British Bangladeshi]]
* [[List of British Bangladeshis]]
* [[List of high commissioners of the United Kingdom to Bangladesh]]
* [[List of diplomats of the United Kingdom to Peru]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* {{Twitter}}
* [https://www.gov.uk/government/people/anwar-choudhury Profile on UK Government Portal]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Choudhury, Anwar}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi Muslims]]
[[Category:British Muslims]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi emigrants to England]]
[[Category:Governors of the Cayman Islands]]
[[Category:British people of Bangladeshi descent]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:High commissioners of the United Kingdom to Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Peru]]
[[Category:Civil servants in the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Civil servants in the Cabinet Office]]
[[Category:People from Aylesbury]]
[[Category:Alumni of Durham University]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Salford]]
[[Category:People from Patli Union]]

Anwar Choudhury - Revision history

imported>Worldbruce: Per Template:Infobox person/doc, "What the place may correspond to on a modern map is a matter for an article's main text."