Salah Choudhury

Salah Choudhury - the Editor of the Weekly Blitz, Birthday and Family

Violet FieldHome › BangladeshiSalah ChoudhuryJanuary 12, 1965351 views

0 based on 0 rates
Salah Choudhury Biography Stories 

Salah Choudhury's Personal Details

Salah Choudhury is a Bangladeshi journalist, author, peace activist, and most famous as the editor of The Weekly Blitz

InformationDetail
BirthdayJanuary 12, 1965
NationalityBangladeshi
FamousPeace Activists, Media Personalities, Journalists, Editors, the Editor of the Weekly Blitz
SpousesShahnaj Choudhury
Known asSalah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Birth PlaceSylhet
GenderMale
Sun SignCapricorn
Born inSylhet
Famous asThe editor of The Weekly Blitz

Salah Choudhury's photo

Who is Salah Choudhury?

Salah Choudhury is a Bangladeshi writer, author and peace activist, who is popular in the world of journalism for his anti-jihadist outlook. This award-winning journalist pioneered in launching the first ever Bangladeshi private television channel, A-21 TV. He is also known for promoting interfaith dialogue between Muslims, Jews and Christians. His support for the Jews and Christians landed him in trouble, resulting in his imprisonment, physical assault, mob attacks, and brief kidnapping by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). His anti-jihadist newspaper, The Weekly Blitz, has made him a popular name. It is the largest English-language weekly in Bangladesh. He serves as the editor-in-chief of ‘Jamjamat’ and editor of ‘Daily Frontline’ and has also written a couple of books in Bangla and English. He has received several international awards for his continuous endeavor to create intercultural understanding between Israel and the Islamic world.

// Famous Media Personalities

Wanda Nara

Wanda Nara

Wanda Nara is an Argentine model, reality personality, and football agent, more famous as the wife of Argentine football player Mauro Icardi.

Melinda Farrell

Melinda Farrell

Melinda Farrell is an internationally renowned sports anchor and freelance sports reporter. This biography profiles her childhood, life, career, achievements, and some facts.

Art Bell

Art Bell

Art Bell was an American broadcaster and author, known as ‘The King of Late Night Radio.’ Check out this biography to know more about his childhood, family, personal life, career, etc.

Childhood & Early Life

Salah Choudhury was born as Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury on January 12, 1965, in Sylhet Medical College Hospital, Sylhet, Bangladesh, as the eldest child of Ghulam Ather Choudhuri and Sharifa Choudhury.

Career

He began his professional career in 1989 with Soviet Union’s Itar-TASS News Agency as a correspondent. He was then promoted as its chief correspondent in Bangladesh in 1991.

With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1996, a number of Itar-TASS offices were closed across the world, including Bangladesh, thereby leaving Salah jobless.

He launched the first ever private television channel in Bangladesh, A-21 TV, in 1996.

In 2001, he joined ‘Daily Inqilab’, a newspaper run by war criminal Maulana Abdul Mannan, leader of the most powerful Bangladeshi Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami.

He served as the managing director of Inqilab Television, a private TV venture of Daily Inqilab.

He started an English language newspaper, ‘The Weekly Blitz’, as an anti-jihadist tabloid in 2003, publishing articles supportive of the Christians and Jewish, especially those in Israel.

In November 2003, he was arrested from Dhaka airport just before flying to Tel Aviv via Bangkok to attend the Hebrew Writers’ Association conference, allegedly for his connections with Mossad.

In his attempt to travel to Israel, he violated the Passport Act, which bans Bangladeshi citizens visiting those nations with which it does not have diplomatic relations, like Israel and Taiwan.

Charged with treason, sedition, and blasphemy, he was imprisoned for 17 months in a Dhaka jail and refused to be treated for glaucoma. He was released on bail in April 2005, without the charges being dropped off.

A year after his release, his tabloid office was firebombed in July 2006 and he was beaten up badly by the mobs, which resulted in a fractured ankle. Subsequently, his office was ransacked and he was yet again attacked by a mob.

In March 2008, he was kidnapped by the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and physically assaulted, but released hours later, under increasing pressure from his supporters.

He was yet again physically assaulted by armed goons of Bangladesh Awami League when they raided his ‘The Weekly Blitz’ office in February 2009. Even though a police complaint was lodged, no action was taken against them.

He has authored several books in both English and Bengali. Some of his works include ‘Injustice & Jihad’ (2007) and ‘Inside Madrassa’ (2009).

He has been serving as the advisor of Bangladesh Minority Lawyer’s Association since 2005. He is also the editor of ‘Daily Frontline’ and editor-in-chief of the weekly ‘Jamjamat’.

On January 9, 2014, he was convicted by the Metropolitan Session Judge in Dhaka on treason and blasphemy charges and was sentenced to 9-years rigorous imprisonment. The court verdict said, Salah Choudhury has hurt the sentiment of Muslims by praising Jews and Christians; tarnished the image of Bangladesh by branding Osama Bin Laden and Yaseer Arafat as terrorists; and conspired against the country by claiming Madrassa were breeding grounds of radical Islamic militancy.

Salah Choudhury filed an appeal against this verdict. The appeal was kept pending for years while Shoaib Choudhury got released from the prison on July 29, 2018 after serving the entire period of conviction. Following his release, Bangladesh authorities have seized his passport thus barring him from travelling abroad.

Awards & Achievements

He was felicitated with the Freedom to Write Award from PEN USA in 2005, towards his contribution in the field of journalism.

In 2006, he was honored with the Moral Courage Award from the American Jewish Committee. He wasn’t able to receive the same as he was stopped by the Bangladesh government to travel to the United States.

He received the Monaco Media Award from HRH Prince Albert of Monaco, in 2007 towards his commitment in creating a mutual understanding between Israel and the Islamic world.

His book ‘Non Sono Colpevole’ was the first book written by a Bangladeshi journalist to be translated into Italian, which was released by Neftasia publication house in 2008.

He was presented with the Key to Englewood from Mayor Michael Wildes and a certificate of moral courage from New Jersey Mayor Elie Katz.

Personal Life & Legacy

He is married to Shahnaj Choudhury and has two children.

// Famous Journalists

Sunny Hostin

Sunny Hostin

Sunny Hostin is an American lawyer, social commentator, columnist and journalist. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.

Melinda Farrell

Melinda Farrell

Melinda Farrell is an internationally renowned sports anchor and freelance sports reporter. This biography profiles her childhood, life, career, achievements, and some facts.

Pete Hegseth

Pete Hegseth

Pete Hegseth is a FOX News Channel contributor from America. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.

Salah Choudhury biography timelines

  • // 12th Jan 1965
    Salah Choudhury was born as Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury on January 12, 1965, in Sylhet Medical College Hospital, Sylhet, Bangladesh, as the eldest child of Ghulam Ather Choudhuri and Sharifa Choudhury.
  • // 1989 To 1991
    He began his professional career in 1989 with Soviet Union’s Itar-TASS News Agency as a correspondent. He was then promoted as its chief correspondent in Bangladesh in 1991.
  • // 1996
    With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1996, a number of Itar-TASS offices were closed across the world, including Bangladesh, thereby leaving Salah jobless.
  • // 1996
    He launched the first ever private television channel in Bangladesh, A-21 TV, in 1996.
  • // 2001
    In 2001, he joined ‘Daily Inqilab’, a newspaper run by war criminal Maulana Abdul Mannan, leader of the most powerful Bangladeshi Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami.
  • // 2003
    He started an English language newspaper, ‘The Weekly Blitz’, as an anti-jihadist tabloid in 2003, publishing articles supportive of the Christians and Jewish, especially those in Israel.
  • // Nov 2003
    In November 2003, he was arrested from Dhaka airport just before flying to Tel Aviv via Bangkok to attend the Hebrew Writers’ Association conference, allegedly for his connections with Mossad.
  • // 2005
    He has been serving as the advisor of Bangladesh Minority Lawyer’s Association since 2005. He is also the editor of ‘Daily Frontline’ and editor-in-chief of the weekly ‘Jamjamat’.
  • // 2005
    He was felicitated with the Freedom to Write Award from PEN USA in 2005, towards his contribution in the field of journalism.
  • // Apr 2005
    Charged with treason, sedition, and blasphemy, he was imprisoned for 17 months in a Dhaka jail and refused to be treated for glaucoma. He was released on bail in April 2005, without the charges being dropped off.
  • // 2006
    In 2006, he was honored with the Moral Courage Award from the American Jewish Committee. He wasn’t able to receive the same as he was stopped by the Bangladesh government to travel to the United States.
  • // Jul 2006
    A year after his release, his tabloid office was firebombed in July 2006 and he was beaten up badly by the mobs, which resulted in a fractured ankle. Subsequently, his office was ransacked and he was yet again attacked by a mob.
  • // 2007 To 2009
    He has authored several books in both English and Bengali. Some of his works include ‘Injustice & Jihad’ (2007) and ‘Inside Madrassa’ (2009).
  • // 2007
    He received the Monaco Media Award from HRH Prince Albert of Monaco, in 2007 towards his commitment in creating a mutual understanding between Israel and the Islamic world.
  • // 2008
    His book ‘Non Sono Colpevole’ was the first book written by a Bangladeshi journalist to be translated into Italian, which was released by Neftasia publication house in 2008.
  • // Mar 2008
    In March 2008, he was kidnapped by the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and physically assaulted, but released hours later, under increasing pressure from his supporters.
  • // Feb 2009
    He was yet again physically assaulted by armed goons of Bangladesh Awami League when they raided his ‘The Weekly Blitz’ office in February 2009. Even though a police complaint was lodged, no action was taken against them.
  • // 2014
    On January 9, 2014, he was convicted by the Metropolitan Session Judge in Dhaka on treason and blasphemy charges and was sentenced to 9-years rigorous imprisonment. The court verdict said, Salah Choudhury has hurt the sentiment of Muslims by praising Jews and Christians; tarnished the image of Bangladesh by branding Osama Bin Laden and Yaseer Arafat as terrorists; and conspired against the country by claiming Madrassa were breeding grounds of radical Islamic militancy.
  • // 2018
    Salah Choudhury filed an appeal against this verdict. The appeal was kept pending for years while Shoaib Choudhury got released from the prison on July 29, 2018 after serving the entire period of conviction. Following his release, Bangladesh authorities have seized his passport thus barring him from travelling abroad.

// Famous Editors

Stan Lee

Stan Lee

Stan Lee was a former president and chairman of Marvel Comics. This biography profiles his childhood, life, career, works, achievements and timeline

Drew Grant

Drew Grant

Drew Grant is an American writer, journalist, editor, and producer. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.

Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg was a famous multiple Pulitzer Prize winner writer and poet. Read more about the life and the works of this prolific writer in the following article.

Diana Vreeland

Diana Vreeland

Diana Vreeland was an iconic fashion expert who is also known as the ‘Empress of Fashion’. She worked for Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue and played the role of a special consultant at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Anna Roosevelt Halsted

Anna Roosevelt Halsted

Anna Roosevelt Halsted was a distinguished American writer and the oldest daughter of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about

Noah Webster

Noah Webster

Noah Webster was a famous American lexicographer, political writer, editor and English language spelling reformer. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, works, achievements and timeline.

Salah Choudhury's FAQ

  • What is Salah Choudhury birthday?

    Salah Choudhury was born at 1965-01-12

  • Where is Salah Choudhury's birth place?

    Salah Choudhury was born in Sylhet

  • What is Salah Choudhury nationalities?

    Salah Choudhury's nationalities is Bangladeshi

  • Who is Salah Choudhury spouses?

    Salah Choudhury's spouses is Shahnaj Choudhury

  • What is Salah Choudhury's sun sign?

    Salah Choudhury is Capricorn

  • How famous is Salah Choudhury?

    Salah Choudhury is famouse as The editor of The Weekly Blitz