Harris Chowdhury’s identity confirmed through DNA testing

Three years ago, a man named ‘Mahmudur Rahman’ was buried quietly in a madrasa graveyard in Savar, with no one knowing who he really was.

Today, after DNA testing, we now know that this man was actually Harris Chowdhury, a former political secretary to ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and a senior BNP leader.

The DNA test has finally cleared up the mystery, putting to rest years of questions and uncertainty for his family, who had been searching for answers.

Exhumation and DNA Match

Following an order from the High Court, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) dug up Harris Chowdhury’s remains from the Savar graveyard.

DNA samples were taken and compared to those of his daughter, Barrister Samira Tanzin Chowdhury, confirming that the body was indeed his.

The High Court allowed the family to bury him again in a place of their choice, with full military honours as a freedom fighter. Barrister Mahdin Chowdhury, who represented the case, said that this ruling had brought long-awaited justice for the family. 

Barrister Samira, feeling relieved, stated, “The previous regime created confusion about my father’s death, and this uncertainty caused us great pain. Today, we’ve found peace through the court’s decision.”

A Life of Secrecy

Harris Chowdhury disappeared in 2007 during a crackdown by the military-backed caretaker government. 

He was believed to have gone into hiding in Sylhet before fleeing to India and then moving to the UK, with brief stops in Pakistan and Iran along the way.

In 2015, there were rumors that he had come back to Bangladesh, but no solid proof was found, and even his close family and friends didn’t know where he was.

Living under the name Mahmudur Rahman, Harris Chowdhury stayed in Dhaka until he passed away from Covid-19 on September 3, 2021, at Evercare Hospital. 

His death was kept secret due to pressure from the authorities, and he was buried in Savar without any official documents under his real name.

Barrister Samira said that her father was denied the proper recognition he deserved as a freedom fighter. 

“This court ruling ends the confusion and allows us to give him the respect and honour he earned,” she remarked.

As Harris Chowdhury is finally laid to rest with the honours due to him, the long-running mystery around his life and death has come to an end, giving his family the closure they desperately sought.