Quick Facts
Biography
Altaf Hossain Chowdhury is a former chief of Bangladesh Air Force and a Bangladesh Nationalist Party politician.
Career
He started his career as a fighter pilot in the Pakistan Air Force, qualifying as a lead pilot in the Dassault Mirage III. In 1971 he was a Flight Lieutenant. He joined the Bangladesh Air Force in 1972 as a Squadron Leader after being released from detetion by Pakistan. Between 1974 and 1977 he was instructor at the pilot training school. He was the Chief of Bangladesh Air Force from 1991 to 1995. After retiring from service in 1995 he joined Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He was elected to parliament from Patuakhali. He served as commerce minister and Home minister in the BNP government from 2001 to 2005. He is the Vice-Chairman of BNP.