Anwar Choudhury

Anwar Choudhury
17th Governor of the Cayman Islands
In office
March 26, 2018 – September 20, 2018
Monarch Elizabeth II
Preceded by Helen Kilpatrick
21st United Kingdom Ambassador to Peru
In office
2014–2018
Monarch Elizabeth II
Preceded by James Dauris
11th High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Bangladesh
In office
2004–2008
Monarch Elizabeth II
Preceded by David Carter
Succeeded by Stephen Evans
Personal details
Born Anwar Bakht Choudhury
(1959-06-15) 15 June 1959
Jagannathpur, Sylhet, East Pakistan, Pakistan (now in Bangladesh)
Nationality British
Spouse(s) Momina Choudhury
Children 4
Residence Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England
Profession Diplomat

Anwar Choudhury (Bengali: আনোয়ার চৌধুরী; born 15 June 1959) is a Bangladeshi-born British diplomat. He was the Governor of the Cayman Islands, and prior to that, the UK Ambassador to Peru, the Director of International Institutions at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and a High Commissioner to Bangladesh.

Early life

Choudhury was born in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). His family is originally from Prabhakarpur, Jagannathpur, Sunamganj, and moved to the United Kingdom when he was young.[1]

Education

Choudhury followed an unusual route to the Diplomatic Service; in 1985, he attained a BSc in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Salford. Choudhury 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.[2]

Career

Choudhury was promoted through the Ministry of Defence, until 2000, when he was recruited by the Cabinet Office, before being headhunted for the position of High Commissioner to Bangladesh.[3] He was succeeded in 2008 by 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).[4] He was sworn in as Governor of the Cayman Islands on March 26, 2018.[5]

Choudhury was recalled to London in June 2018.[6][7] On September 20 2018 it was announced he would not be returning to the Cayman Islands. [8]

Grenade attack

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 Dargah-e-Shah Jalal mosque in Sylhet Division, his home province, following Jumu'ah (Friday prayers).[9] In December 2008, three attackers were sentenced to death[10] and two others to life in prison for the attack.[11][12]

Personal life

Choudhury is a Muslim.[11] 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, bridge and Bangladeshi cuisine.[1]

Choudhury has dismissed suggestions of a conflict of loyalty, stating that he would support the English cricket team against Bangladesh (see: Cricket test).[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Profile: Anwar Choudhury". BBC News. 21 May 2004. Archived from the original on 27 December 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
  2. ↑ "Ethnic Minorities in Britain" (PDF). Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 June 2006. Retrieved 22 June 2006.
  3. 1 2 Roy, Amit (15 December 2003). "Bangladeshi-born Briton for Dhaka". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 19 March 2005. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  4. ↑ "Foreign and Commonwealth Office Race Equality Scheme 2005–2008". London: Foreign and Commonwealth Office. p. 5. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "Governor Choudhury sworn in". Cayman Compass. Archived from the original on 2018-03-27. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  6. ↑ "Cayman Islands governor recalled to Britain after bullying allegations". Mail Online. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  7. ↑ Wintour, Patrick (2018-06-14). "UK recalls Cayman Islands governor over unspecified allegations". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  8. ↑ "Choudhury removed as Cayman Islands governor". Cayman Compass. 20 September 2018.
  9. ↑ "Blast at Shahjalal shrine injures British HC, kills 2". The Daily Star. 4 (348). Bangladesh. 22 May 2004. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  10. ↑ "Three to die for UK envoy attack". BBC News. 23 December 2008. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  11. 1 2 Percival, Jenny (23 December 2008). "Death sentences for Bangladesh grenade attack on British envoy". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  12. ↑ "Grenade atack [sic] on Anwar Choudhury: Mufti Hannan among four indicted". The Sylhet Times. 1 August 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
David Carter		 High Commissioner to Bangladesh
2004—2008		 Succeeded by
Stephen Evans
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
James Dauris		 United Kingdom Ambassador to Peru
2014—2018		 Succeeded by
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