Concord never cut corners

In a densely packed city like Dhaka, few real estate firms stand out in the public memory. But Concord is an exception. After all, it built the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar — in just 89 days, and 43 years ago.

Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, Concord's journey features many iconic landmarks in the country.

Shahriar Kamal

The portfolio includes the 20-storey Bangladesh Shilpa Bank Bhaban in Motijheel, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, IDB Bhaban, Jiban Bima Tower, Janata Bank Head Office, Lake City Concord, and the British High Commission in Dhaka.

These achievements may be measured in buildings, but the foundation of the real estate firm's long journey rests on two things: commitment to quality and a refusal to cut corners.

And a sense of foresight, too, helped the company grow. Soon after independence, a young engineer, SM Kamaluddin, established Concord with little money but huge ambition.

In the beginning, the firm had just four employees. Its early work was mainly repairing war-damaged bridges, which were important for reconnecting parts of a newly liberated country.

"My father used to visit the sites himself, measure every beam, check every material," said Shahriar Kamal, Kamaluddin's son and now Concord's managing director.

For Kamaluddin, trust and quality mattered more than profits. In a sector where quick fixes are common, he insisted on doing things properly, even at a loss.

"My father believed no work was too small to be done well," Shahriar added.

Concord's first office was a cramped room with a single table. Fast forward five decades, and Shahriar now speaks to The Daily Star from a high-rise in Dhaka's Gulshan area, surrounded by photos and architectural prints of the buildings they made.

Although the firm began its journey in 1973, it was officially licensed under the name "Concord" in 1975. That is why the golden jubilee was observed on July 10, 2025.

While talking about the company's early years, Shahriar pointed to the Bangladesh Shilpa Bank Bhaban, Dhaka's first 20-storey commercial tower built in the 1980s. At that time, Motijheel was the city's trade and business hub.

But Kamaluddin had his eyes elsewhere. Long before Gulshan rose as a commercial centre, he invested in one of its first commercial buildings.

"People laughed when my father said Gulshan would become a business hub," Shahriar recalled. "As it turns out, he was right. Today, Gulshan is Dhaka's financial heart."

According to the MD, among all of Concord's work, no project carries as much symbolic weight as the National Martyrs' Memorial.

Designed by Syed Mainul Hossain and built by Concord in just 89 days in 1982, the structure stands as a solemn tribute to the country's freedom fighters.

"For my father, building it was an honour greater than any award," said Shahriar.

Apart from Gulshan, another example of foresight by Concord was the environmental sustainability issue in construction.

Shahriar said they adopted sustainability long before environmental awareness became widespread. In 1998, they introduced green bricks and blocks as a cleaner alternative to the fire-burnt bricks that heavily pollute the air.

"We used these materials across all our projects," he said. "We were the first company in Bangladesh to fully adopt eco-friendly practices." With traditional bricks now being phased out, Concord's early investment in greener alternatives seems far-sighted.

In 2002, the company turned its focus to fun, as Concord constructed Fantasy Kingdom, the country's first international-standard theme park in Ashulia. For many children, it meant their first roller coaster; for families, it became a place for making lasting memories.

In Chattogram, Concord revived Foy's Lake, as the natural lake was turned into a destination where nature and entertainment exist side by side.

Through all its ventures, Concord has kept people at the centre. In the early years, Kamaluddin sometimes pawned personal belongings to pay workers on time. "Their wages feed their families. He would say that we can't let them go hungry."

From just four staff, the real estate firm now employs more than 2,000 people.

On July 10 this year, it marked its 50th anniversary with a celebration that honoured the people behind its success. Shahriar Kamal and Nazia Karishma Kamal, director of Compliance, led the event.

The MD said they have built homes for over 10,000 families so far. "For these families, each apartment is more than a space. It's where life happens."

"People sometimes complain that our apartments cost more," Shahriar admitted. "But that is because we never cut corners. Our buildings are meant to last long."

Though Kamaluddin, now chairman, rarely comes to the office due to age, his philosophy lives on in the way Concord works, the structures it builds, and the trust it commands.