Yusuf Ali Chowdhury

Yusuf Ali Chowdhury (1905 – 26 November 1971), commonly known as Mohan Mia, was a leading Muslim League politician from Bengal. He campaigned for Bengali Muslim civil rights in British India. Hailing from a prominent landowning clan of Faridpur, he was elected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1937. He was a leader of the Pakistan movement and the Bengal Provincial Muslim League.

Chowdhury became the first General Secretary of the Muslim League in East Bengal after the partition of India in 1947. He later joined the Krishak Praja Party led by A. K. Fazlul Huq. He supported the Bengali language movement in 1952. Chowdhury gained a reputation as the "kingmaker" of Bengali and Pakistani politics due to his coalition forming skills, as the United Front parties depended on him to organize political alliances. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly, and the National Assembly of Pakistan.

In 1970, Chowdhury joined the Pakistan Democratic Party led by Nurul Amin. He died in Karachi on 26 November 1971. His son Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf was a politician of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Early life Chowdhury was born in 1905 at the Moyez Manzil, which was part of the Amirabad Estate, Faridpur. He belonged to a prominent landowning family. His father was the merchant-zamindar Chowdhury Moyezuddin Biwshash. He studied till class ten in Ishan School, Faridpur. His older brother Lal Mia was a reputed activist of the Congress Party and later the Muslim League. In contrast to his older brother, Mohan Mia himself was always geared towards Muslim League politics. Mohan Mia became a Bengali Muslim nationalist.

Career A. K. Fazlul Huq (center) being welcomed by Chowdhury (right) at a Faridpur railway station in 1954

Chowdhury became involved in politics during his student life. He vigorously campaigned to remove the pro-Hindu ban on cattle slaughter and beef production in Faridpur imposed by the British Raj. The ban was imposed to appease Hindu landowners who constituted an influential group in the district. Chowdhury capitalized on Bengali Muslim sentiment against Hindu landlords. Despite being a zamindar himself, Chowdhury represented the grievances and aspirations of Muslim peasants, tenants, farmers and workers. He was the Chairman of Faridpur District Board for 17 years; the board later became the district council. He was an important organiser of the Pakistan movement and All-India Muslim League. In 1937 he was elected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly. From 1941 to 1953 he served as the President of the Faridpur district unit of Muslim League. From 1941 to 1947, he was part of the Working Committee of the Bengal Muslim League.

From 1947 to 1952, he served as the first General Secretary of the East Bengal Muslim League. In 1948, he advised Muhammad Ali Jinnah against declaring Urdu as the sole state language by ignoring Bangla.

According to an article in the Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star, the following is said about Chowdhury: