Ashraf Ali Khan Chowdhury

Chowdhury was born in 1878 to a Bengali Muslim zamindar family known as the Chowdhuries of Natore. His father was Khan Bahadur Ershad Ali Khan Chowdhury, member of Bengal Legislative Council, and his mother was Masirunnesa Khanam. He studied law in England and became a Barrister in 1912.[1]

Chowdhury started his legal career by joining the Calcutta High Court bar. He was introduced to politics by his father and developed a political career under the patronage of Syed Nawab Ali Chowdhury. He helped the founding of East Bengal and Assam Provincial Muslim Educational Society. He was a founding Member of the All-India Muslim League. In 1928, he was elected to the Bengal Legislative Council from Natore. In 1932 he was offered a judgeship at the Calcutta High Court which he declined as he preferred a career in politics over law. In 1937, he was re-elected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly from Natore District as a candidate of All India Muslim League. He served as the Deputy Speaker of the Bengal Legislative Assembly.[1]

He had a daughter named Syedani Razya Khatun who married Nawab Syed Hasan Ali Chowdhury of Dhanbari. After her death, his other daughter Syedani Lamya Asya married the same Nawab of Dhanbari.[2]

Chowdhury died on 8 December 1941 in Kolkata, West Bengal, British India.[1]