Neem Chandra Bhowmik

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Neem Chandra Bhowmik is a professor in the Department of Applied Physics at the University of Dhaka and a leader of the Hindu minority community in Bangladesh.[1][2] He is the former Ambassador of Bangladesh to Nepal with a controversial term.[3][4] He is the president of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council.[5]

Career[edit]

Bhowmik was the general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council in 1996.[6]

Bhowmik signed a statement condemning the alleged harassment of Indian diplomat Sarbajit Chakraborti's wife Rupa Chakraborti by Bashundhara Group chairman, Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and his staff.[7]

In September 2007, Bangladesh Army personnel stationed at University of Dhaka and students of the university got into violent clashes with each other.[8] Bhowmik was then the chairperson of the Applied Physics Department of the University of Dhaka. He was detained by Bangladesh Police on charges on instigating the students.[8][9]

On 22 July 2009, the Awami League government appointed Bhowmik Ambassador of Bangladesh to Nepal.[10] He was also the president of Bangladesh Muktijodha Foundation and Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad.[10] He was serving as the general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council.[10] In March 2008, a court found him innocent of all charges.[11]

In July 2010, Bhowmik was awarded the Mother Teresa Gold Medal.[12]

In July 2011, Nepal informed Bangladesh using informal channels that they wished for the withdrawal of Bhowmik from Nepal.[13] According to a report of the Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh, Bhowmik was implicated in a number of irregularities.[13] He had behaved and acted unprofessionally and violated diplomatic norms.[13] He was found being involved in internal politics of Nepal. The report also mentioned Bhowmik had taken kickbacks from Nepali students for providing them with scholarships from the government of Bangladesh.[13] He was accused of stalking and harassing Manisha Koirala, a Nepali film actress.[13] The report notes he was accused of harassing Mrs Apoorva Srivastava, a spokeswoman of the Indian Embassy in Nepal.[13] He drove around Indian Army General J. F. R. Jacob in Nepal in an official embassy car while flying the Indian flag and at a Mujibnagar, the first government of Bangladesh, anniversary day event he called for the playing of anthems of Bangladesh, India, and Nepal.[13] The First Secretary of the Bangladesh Embassy in Nepal, Nasreen Jahan Lipi, had made official complaints to Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Dipu Moni, in 2010.[13] He was also accused of harassing numerous women and having unprofessional relations with Bangladesh and Nepali women on embassy premises.[13] The government established an investigation committee to look into the allegations of the report.[14] Next year the government issued an order to not extend the term of Bhowmik as ambassador ending his ambassadorship.[15]

In January 2022, Bhowmik was elected president of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council.[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Minority leader named as Diplomat". ModernGhana. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  2. ^ "Minority bodies announce weeklong demo seeking election deferment". UNB. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  3. ^ "Be united to keep Bangladesh-India friendship unharmed: Abdur Razzak | News". BSS. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  4. ^ "Bangladesh sending investigators to Nepal". Times of Assam. 2011-10-30. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  5. ^ "Representative of minorities in EC sought". New Age. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  6. ^ Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Refworld | Bangladesh: Information on the Bangladesh, Hindu, Buddhist and Christian Unity Council (Bangladesh, Hindu, Buddhist Christian Oihya Parishad); on the name of the general secretary; and on whether the organization issues membership letters to individuals who have left the country". Refworld. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  7. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 468". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  8. ^ a b "Prof Neem sent to jail on surrender". The Daily Star. 2007-09-19. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  9. ^ "DU teachers and students observe Black Day". Dhaka Tribune. 2020-08-23. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  10. ^ a b c "Neem Bhowmik new envoy to Nepal". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  11. ^ "4 DU students appeal against conviction". The Daily Star. 2008-03-19. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  12. ^ "20 receive Mother Teresa Gold Medal". The Daily Star. 2010-07-22. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Nepal wants Bangladesh envoy recalled". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  14. ^ "Probe body to check allegations". The Daily Star. 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  15. ^ Karim, Rezaul (2012-06-30). "Major changes in foreign office". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  16. ^ Pintu, Rafiqul Islam. "Dr NC Bhowmik president, Rana Dasgupta secretary". The Asian Age. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
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