Every nation needs inspirers – people who, through their vision, self-belief, leadership, and hard work bring about changes that nobody thought would be possible.

They change what most people take to be unchangeable reality and create potential where none thought existed.

These people open new doors through which others pass and discover newer opportunities and help to take a nation forward.

Over the last 22 years, starting in the year 2000, we have been honouring such individuals in our business world through the Bangladesh Business Awards that we had set up in partnership with DHL.

Every year since then we have honoured one outstanding leader from our corporate world as "The Business Person of the Year" whose extraordinary business acumen, personal courage for risk-taking, and ethical business practices opened up new vistas for other business leaders to follow.

Here we bring together all those men and women we have honoured as the top business leaders over the last two decades. 

MA Jabbar - 2021 

I enjoy my job very much as the group came to this position from almost scratch through struggle.

Even in 1994, DBL Group, a leading garment exporter, was struggling to survive with less than 300 workers and a small factory in the capital's Farmgate.

The garment unit, which was set up in 1991, was struggling for work orders from international retailers and brands.

But the situation started to turn for the better when MA Jabbar, managing director of DBL Group, started expanding its capacity with a new vision in 1994.

Jabbar, then a fresh computer science and technology graduate of the University of Texas, had taken charge of the family business and did not look back.

Now it is one of the largest conglomerates in the country, employing some 43,000 people.

After a journey of three decades, the group has 24 business and industrial units in sectors ranging from textile, spinning, dyeing, finishing and garment to pharmaceuticals, ICT, dredging, ceramics, and packaging.

The group expects its annual turnover to reach more than USD 1 billion at the end of the fiscal year 2022-2023, up 15 percent year-on-year.

Of the amount, the group exported goods worth USD 480 million and has a target to take it to USD 520 million.

The group plans to invest USD 750 million in its DBL Industrial Park at Sylhet in the next five years, targeting a turnover of more than USD 2 billion in the stipulated timeframe.

The total number of employees in the group will reach 85,000 in the next five years as it has already started setting up new spinning, dyeing, and garment units on 168 acres of land within an economic zone in Sylhet.

Jabbar, born in 1961 at Tejgaon in Dhaka, had a vision from his early life to be a big businessperson as his father was already doing business on a small scale in Dhaka.

Construction and trading of commodities were the focal point of his family business which was initiated by his father in Dhaka in 1958.

"I had a dream to be a big businessperson from the very beginning of my career," Jabbar said.

He said that on returning to the country, he had a mindset that could have easily made him a champion at any high-level corporate employment, be it a domestic or multinational company.

But instead, he opted to join his small family-owned garment factory as managing director in 1994.

"Till date, I am still the managing director of the group and I was not promoted further although the group became one of the major conglomerates in the country," Jabbar joked with The Daily Star.

Jabbar said his inspiration comes from his brother Dulal, who was killed at the Rayer Bazar killing ground by the then Pakistani army on December 14, 1971.

In fact, the Pakistani army had come to their Tejgaon house in search of another freedom fighter's elder brother but on failing to find him had taken away Dulal and killed him.

So, his family named the company after his brother – Dulal Brother Limited. Currently, the remaining four brothers and a nephew and niece are running the group.

Continuing to lead the united family and its business, Jabbar said running such a business had its challenges but still there was a charm as everybody cooperates with him.

More of the second generation is also set to join the group.

There are 10 altogether, all sons and daughters of the four brothers who are now studying in different universities.

The company has developed a family business guideline and everybody abides by it.

The main policy of the family business is adoptability and the group developed a model of adoptability. The concept of adoptability helped the group to grow a lot.

The group is imparting training to all partners on family business governance, developed by the International Finance Corporation for efficient management of business.

Jabbar is blessed with two daughters and a son. The eldest daughter is studying at Boston University, the younger one at New York University Leonard N Stern School of Business, and the youngest son at the University of Texas.

Jabbar believes there is no shortcut to becoming a big businessperson. The company has some corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities involving schools and colleges near its factories.

Moreover, the group makes contributions to sexual and reproductive health service provider Marie Stopes Bangladesh, health and family planning service provider Surjer Hashi Network, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, and BIRDEM General Hospital.

Jabbar is the senior vice president of the Bangladesh Economic Zone Investors Association and vice president of the Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

He is also on the Board of Global Compact Network Bangladesh and represents DBL in the International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh, and World Economic Forum.

DBL Group received multiple recognitions such as a Superbrands award, national export trophy, HSBC export excellence award, Bangladesh innovation award, disability inclusive employment award, and excellence in corporate governance award.

 

Abdul Muktadir - 2020

The market was not developed, skilled workers were not in abundance in the country, and finance was tight, but Abdul Muktadir was unfazed when he decided to set up a pharmaceutical company two decades ago.

His courage stemmed from the growth potential of the industry in line with an economy ready to embark on higher GDP growth and the determination to deliver high-quality medicines that are available in developed markets but not in Bangladesh.

"Uniqueness and quality are key to success for entrepreneurs. These have been the two pillars of our success," said Muktadir, managing director and chairman of Incepta.

Set up in 1999, Incepta Pharmaceuticals became the second-largest drug-maker in Bangladesh in just eight years, a rare feat for a company in a small market with many competing companies.

"Doctors and healthcare providers and consumers welcomed the company from the very beginning. We have always focused on the products that are important for the people but are not available in the market. This helped us grow steadily."

The annual turnover for the company stood at Tk 2,755 crore.

So far, Incepta has rolled out about 175 new generic drugs, which were not included in the portfolio of other drug-makers.

The company's factory and products were all designed in the model of international standard.

"We have done everything possible to maintain product quality at global standard," Muktadir said.

"When we found that some of our products were grabbing the market very fast, we analysed the reason and found that its quality is far better than competitors."

For instance, some of its products are being sold around 4 lakh units per month, way higher than 10,000 to 11,000 units of sales clocked by its nearest competitors.

In the late 1990s, Bangladesh's economy started to post growth of more than 5 percent. This led Muktadir, then the chief operating officer of Beximco Pharmaceuticals, to be convinced about the potential of more companies.

Subsequently, he decided to form a company and talked to many others to forge a partnership. In the end, the best match came from Impress Group, which has businesses in garments and media.

Entrepreneurs of Impress Group were his friends from his time at the University of Dhaka where he studied pharmacy.

"So, before launching the venture, I felt better and comfortable with them," Muktadir said.

According to the entrepreneur, the main hurdle faced by entrepreneurs is accommodating the right people in the right place.

"When a company begins its journey, the hurdle gets even tougher because efficient people don't want to join a new company."

Incepta faced the same difficulty. It received a blow when two of its top officials, who were heading up the production and marketing teams, were hired by competitors.

"We were in a growing position, but suddenly things became very difficult."

Muktadir and his wife Hasneen Muktadir doubled down their efforts. He went to expand the market share while his wife worked both as a pharmacist in the factory and a manager in the head office to put the company on a firm footing.

She took care of the whole business strongly with daily long hours of work for eight or nine months.

"Family support is crucial for an entrepreneur," Muktadir said.

Mobilising funds were not easy for Incepta as well. It received sufficient bank loans after three years of its successful journey and becoming a familiar name in the pharmaceutical fraternity.

National Bank was the first lender to have extended loans to it thanks to the involvement of Impress Group. Mutual Trust Bank and HSBC followed suit.

"When we became a good borrower, others came to us," Muktadir said. Since then, the company has had no problems in securing bank loans.

Muktadir also talked about the challenges Bangladesh's pharmaceuticals industry is going to face in the coming days.

The 2015 decision on the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights of the World Trade Organisation says a least-developed country will no longer enjoy the patent waiver if it ceases to be an LDC prior to the expiry of the transition period.

This means that Bangladesh will not benefit from the pharmaceutical waiver once it graduates out of the LDC group in 2024, although the waiver has been granted until 2032.

"New products will no longer be available at a lower cost because of the patent protection," Muktadir said.

For instance, people in Bangladesh buy the medicines to treat Hepatitis C spending just USD 5-7, but it may cost them USD 1,000.

"We will talk to the government to register all new products so that we can supply the medicines at a lower cost for at least the next five to six years."

"But people will have to pay higher prices for the new medicines after five to six years. By this time, peoples' income will grow, so most people will be able to afford it."

If local drug companies ramp up production facilities to produce medicines based on their research, they will be able to supply medicines at a lower cost.

"Our export will not be affected as we ship only generic medicines," he said.

Muktadir sought the government's assistance to help the industry reach its potential.

He said scientific information is regularly updated by international organisations. "We have to buy books on a regular basis to remain updated."

The technical guidelines are valued at USD 600-1,200 and are purchased using credit cards. But the Bangladesh Bank has ordered that one can't spend more than USD 300 to buy books online in a single transaction.

"So, we need to take several approvals to buy the books," said Muktadir, who studied industrial pharmacy at the Long Island University in the US.

He called for policy support on import of solvents, acids, alkali, and other reagents to grow the API industry.

The business of pharmaceutical companies fell by 30-35 percent because of the coronavirus pandemic. The major blow came during the April-June period, the peak of the pandemic in Bangladesh.

"People were confined to homes and did not visit doctors. Our sales were largely limited to fever, cold, and sanitisation-related products."

Employees gave unprecedented support during the pandemic, so Bangladesh did not see any disruption in drug supply, Muktadir said.

"We continued to export during the pandemic that brightened our reputation. We hope we will bounce back once the pandemic is over."

Muktadir is bullish about the potential of the industry.

There is no pharmaceutical industry in most of the economies that are at the similar stage of development like in Bangladesh. Some developed countries are dependent on imported drugs.

"We will continue our export after meeting the local demand. So, the industry will continue to grow in the foreseeable period. For us, the sky is the limit."

 

Azam J Chowdhury- 2019

When university graduates of his time considered civil service a prestigious job, Azam J Chowdhury, 65, thought differently.

After attaining a Master's degree in English literature from the University of Dhaka in late 1970s, he decided to become an entrepreneur despite strong opposition from his family.

"My family was very upset as they wanted me to join the civil service. Also, business was perceived a very bad thing at that time," Chowdhury recalled.

But he was adamant. By a stroke of good fortune, he met SM Kabir, who had a small office at 21 Motijheel, from where he came to know some people in the global oil market.

International oil companies at that time had sold their products through some agents in Bangladesh.

Later in March 1977, he set up East Coast Trading Private Limited that got engaged in trading various commodities and power station equipment. But the big breakthrough came four years later.

"Fortunately, one day I got two (oil) cargos in 1981 and that was a big breakthrough for me. I had got USD 150,000 as commission from the contract, which was a lot of money at that time."

However, most of this amount went behind repaying money he had borrowed from personal sources to get his business idea running.

But the successful discharge and delivery of oil had given him a huge confidence boost and he started getting more orders from companies like British Petroleum Corporation and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

His confidence though was hurt in 1982 by a comment of a foreign national working in the Bank of Indosuez in Dhaka.

Chowdhury had wanted a diary that has many phone numbers from the banker. In response the banker asked, "How much money do you have in your account?"

"At the moment I felt he was being so mean to me and that changed my life. I told myself that I will do something and I will show him."

The rest is history. His East Coast Group now has over 30 units and its asset value is about USD 4 billion.

From humble beginnings, the group has diversified to power generation, shipping, renewable energy, plastics and ceramics manufacturing, real estate, wood treatment, corporate finance, banking, insurance, tea production, logistics and distribution.

Chowdhury set up the country's first lube oil blending plant and LP Gas terminal. He was the first person to buy an oil tanker and the first cylinder manufacturer. He started the country's first LPG barge and satellite stations.

Sincerity, integrity, and commitment have paid off. His business with multinational companies has helped him learn about quality and compliance, which he still maintains with utmost priority.

"I always try to be compliant and whatever I have earned, I never spoilt any penny."

Even then, he had to lose for investing in a textile, finishing and dyeing factory in 1983, when the garment industry was taking off.

People from his factory were jumping ship, so he had to abandon the venture and convert it into a plastic manufacturing unit.

Since then, he never looked back.

East Coast got engaged in shipping business, oil tankers and terminals, blending world renowned lubricant Exxon Mobil, bank, insurance and finance company, and many more.

But the group's main focus remains on the energy sector, where Chowdhury has the competitive advantage.

"I was quite known in the international market as an oil expert in Bangladesh," Chowdhury recalled his memories of the 1980s and 1990s.

ExxonMobil has never appointed a local as the managing director of its local operations. But it made an exception in case of Bangladesh by making Chowdhury its managing director, a post he held for many years until he bought out the shares when ExxonMobil left the country.

His success in energy sector gave him the guts to think big. He bought two bulk ships – Omera Queen and Omera Legacy – each with over one lakh DWT (Dead Weight Tonnage) capacity, which no other businesses have in Bangladesh.

He never invested in a venture he does not understand.

Chowdhury said any product produced by him has to be the finest. For example, he said Omera engine oil was approved by BMW and it was used by a racer in a junior world rally in 2015.

He also spoke on the necessity of scaling up a business in line with the pace of economic growth.

"When you start a business, mapping out the plan is important. You will have to think that when you start a business, 10 years down the line there will be 50 operators, trying to produce and sell the same product. But if you scale up and have large volume, your cost will go down and you will be competitive."

He says every individual has hunger and it has nothing to do with the age of the person. Some people like to read books, some like music, and some like to travel.

"This hunger should continue and you will not get old."

Many people may wonder what they will do when they get old or retire from jobs.

"But these elderly people have lots of experience. That experience is very important."

He plans to make his group even bigger and take up projects that are nationally important and have huge economic impact.

 

M Anis Ud Dowla - 2017

M Anis Ud Dowla adopted the values of a multinational company but held on to the flexibilities of an entrepreneur. He started with a mission to improve the quality of lives of people and stuck to that.

The opportunity came to him 32 years after he began his career in 1960. The Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) had decided to divest its shareholding to local management in 1992 and M Anis Ud Dowla grabbed the opportunity without thinking twice.

Dowla became the major shareholder of the company and renamed it to Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI).

"It was a great opportunity for me that such a multinational company wanted to hand over its operation to me. This was no risk," said Dowla.

When ACI started its journey in 1992 under Dowla's stewardship, its turnover was Tk 8 crore and employee count 230. Today, its turnover is more than Tk 5,000 crore with over 15,000 employees.

Born on March 1, 1937 in Faridpur, Dowla studied physics at Dhaka University and also obtained a Master's degree in public administration from Karachi University.

After completing education, he joined Pakistan Oxygen, progressing through the ranks to become its managing director, then rechristened to Bangladesh Oxygen.

In 1987, he joined ICI PLC as the group's managing director for its Bangladesh operations and continued to lead the team here until 1992.

ACI now comprises two publicly listed companies and 12 subsidiaries with diverse interests ranging from pharmaceuticals, consumers goods, and agribusiness.

In his role as the majority shareholder, he maintained a multinational work culture and stayed focused on improving quality, the testimony of which can be found from his initiative to secure the ISO 9001 certification, the international standard for quality management system, for ACI in 1995, the first for a Bangladeshi company.

In 2000, ACI obtained the ISP 14001 certification, which is a global standard for environmental management system, again a first for the country.

Under his leadership, ACI was one of the first companies to produce iodised salt in Bangladesh. To cater to the demand for hygienic grocery shopping environment, ACI set up a supermarket.

"We started with a mission to improve the quality of lives of people and we stuck to that."

Dowla adopted the values of a multinational company but held on to the flexibilities of an entrepreneur. Ensuring discipline and creating an ethical work culture were paramount in building an empire, he learnt from his stints at two multinational companies.

"Ethics in the long run pays. It is difficult to continue to maintain high ethics. But it is my belief that if you have tolerance, ethics make things much easier."

As an entrepreneur, the biggest mistake he sees people making is being greedy and chasing short-term gains.

"Business is to create a market, sustain customer base and grow from that strength. It is like planting a tree. Unless your roots become strong, you cannot become big."

"Once you give up greed and go for your principle, you may not make as much profit but you have a solid base of customers. A customer chooses your product because he/she trusts you, because, you are compliant. We do not want to be rich overnight."

Today, ACI is the market leader in aerosol, antiseptic liquid, mosquito coils, and salt. It is operating in a big way in insecticides, fertilisers and soil nutrients, hybrid rice seeds, and high-yielding vegetables seeds.

Dowla said the ACI and its branches have grown organically.

"How it has grown we wonder now looking back. Yes, we have grown reasonably big but if you see the opportunities available in Bangladesh, it is tremendous."

Under his initiative, the ACI established its own bio-technology research laboratory, complete with a gene bank.

The ACI is one of the six companies in Bangladesh that adopted UN Global Compact Principles in September 2003.

Dowla advised the youths to love their work. "Love what you do and do it with passion. Keep trying and do not give up."

One can have a wonderful life if the person studies engineering or medical. "But there is no guarantee that one would succeed."

Looking forward, he said he wants to instil professionalism in the company. Companies should not be run by families, he said.

At the same time, he wants to see the ACI being recognised for its contribution to the development of Bangladesh.

"ACI has a role to play in nation building. We want to be recognised as a service-oriented company helping the nation."

Dowla, now the chairman of ACI Ltd, said the ACI's management approach is becoming true to what it says.

"There is no shortcut in our system. We should be able to leapfrog into the future. We are on the right track and we have touched the right chord."

 

Kutubuddin Ahmed - 2016

Kutubuddin Ahmed always had the burning desire to become a businessman, even though he studied mechanical engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology and started his career by joining Janata Bank.

But he cherished a belief – entrepreneurship was his predestination. In 1983, he resigned from the bank while at a high position, and went to his near and dear ones for seed money to start a business but in vain.

Yet, it could not lessen the strength of his convictions. He took a loan from a bank – putting his father's home as collateral.

In 1984, together with Abdus Salam Murshedy, then a famous footballer of Mohammedan Sporting Club, and capital of Tk 10 lakh, Ahmed started his garment business, which is today known as Envoy Group.

At the beginning, the small factory at the capital's Khilgaon area relied solely on sub-contracting orders from other garment factories.

The orders, though, were not substantial. For long spells, the 46 sewing machines and 200 workers would be sitting idle.

"Those days were really very bad for us," said Ahmed, chairman of Envoy Group.

It was difficult to manage even Tk 1 lakh to pay the salaries of the workers. "We paid them by borrowing money from banks."

But fortune favours the bold, as the Latin proverb says, and the two brave entrepreneurs' watershed was just around the corner.

One day, an Indian national named Akbar Lakhani walked into the small factory, who turned out to be an agent of international retailers.

On the spot he placed a work order for 6,500 trousers for a Swedish retailer, in what turned out to be the turning point for Envoy Group.

"Lakhani appeared before me as an angel, the ones they speak of in fairy tales," Ahmed said.

By working round-the-clock, Envoy Group could ship the orders timely – and Lakhani was very impressed with the attitude of Ahmed.

Lakhani placed more work orders and that too in bulk quantity.

Ahmed grew further in Lakhani's estimation when he showed up at the latter's hotel suite with commission in hand – a rare gesture for a garment maker then.

After that, Lakhani started treating Ahmed as his son and continued to place as much work orders with Envoy Group as he could.

In the following 16 months, Envoy Group logged in profits of Tk 1crore, with which they bought two garment factories and paid off all bank loans.

One of its factories, Envoy Denim received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design's platinum certification – the first Bangladeshi exporter to get the recognition from US-based Green Building Council in the denim category.

Envoy Denim also received the national export trophy in the gold category for three consecutive years: fiscals 2009-10, 2011-12 and 2012-13.

The engineer turned businessman is also the chairman of the country's leading real estate company, Sheltech, where he has a 50 percent stake. He also has stakes in Hong Kong-based Epic Group, a garment manufacturer and exporter.

Ahmed recently set up a tile's factory in Bhola for Tk 400 crore, with an additional Tk 300 crore of investment on the cards.

He will soon start a composite textile mill and has designs to expand the Sheltech operation massively to meet the growing demand for housing in Dhaka.

Ahmed is a former president of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association. He is currently a member of the International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh.

He is also a member of BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology Trust and a chairman of the advisory board of Prothom Alo.

His other passion, sports, did not fall by the wayside as he pursued his business ambitions.

He served as the secretary-general of the Bangladesh Olympic Association and the Bangladesh Badminton Federation and is a former president of the Mohammedan Sporting Club, Dhaka.

A commercially important person and a national export trophy winner for several times, Ahmed is a well-known figure for his philanthropic activities as well.

Among many, he has helped establish an intensive care unit for paediatric patients at the burn unit at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He runs several clinics where the poor are treated and provided with medicines free of cost.

He has established a technical institute at Narsingdi to produce skilled workforce. At the institute, unskilled workers are imparted training on sewing and computer operation so that they can enter the job market with confidence.

 

Muhammed Aziz Khan - 2014

He ventured into businesses in 1973, at a time when there was hardly any track record of the country producing successful entrepreneurs.

But in the course of the last four decades, Muhammed Aziz Khan has gone on to cement his name among the country's most illustrious businessmen. "The independence of Bangladesh provided unprecedented opportunities to us. There was demand for entrepreneurs."

Khan's first steps as an entrepreneur were taken with a friend, whose father's death thrust him into the family import business. The 18-year-old Khan borrowed Tk 30,000 from his father to partner in the venture.

With over a decade of solid real-world experience behind him, Khan set up Summit Industrial and Mercantile Corporation in 1985, aiming to develop the country's infrastructure.

Today, Summit's subsidiaries are the country's first private sector power generator, a port owner and operator, and provider of information communication connectivity via fibre optic.

"My brothers joined me and we started this amazing journey. We are very fortunate to be known as pioneers of Bangladesh's infrastructure sector."

Bangladesh could not have come out of the stifling trap of power shortages without the support and participation of the private sector. "The entrepreneurs showed extraordinary courage to leapfrog into infrastructure industry. This is unheard of in an emerging economy."

About Summit Power's plan, Khan said the company would like to supply at least 20 percent of the national electricity demand.

The current trend of low prices of fuel and commodities has emerged as a boon for Bangladesh, as the country would be able to save up to USD 7 billion a year on imports of petroleum, steel, cotton, and soybean oil.

In four years, the government would be able to save USD 28 billion on imports. With this saving, the government can borrow another USD 28 billion, and the whole amount can be invested in improving infrastructure, said Khan.

"This sort of opportunity does not come all the time – it comes very rarely. We have to seize the moment."

All that is needed is capacity expansion, particularly of the government. The government needs to award more tenders, appoint more project managers, and make bureaucracy more efficient, he said.

Besides, in the international debt market, the interest rate is at its lowest – a development he has not seen in his lifetime. He said private companies such as Summit have received USD 500 million in loans with tenure of 15 years and interest rate of 4.25 percent, whereas the government can borrow at 1 percent.

At present, Bangladesh offers huge investment opportunities, as the country's macroeconomic conditions are excellent, the political situation is more or less stable and the reserves are increasing, he said. "This is a great opportunity to achieve double-digit economic growth."

The Summit chairman also said the government needs to build a completely new city as a capital, wherever it prefers, to prevent Dhaka from becoming a completely dysfunctional city.

Khan, who has an MBA from the Institute of Business Administration, has high respect for his fellow entrepreneurs, as doing business in Bangladesh is difficult.

"There should be more accommodation among people, respect for each other, more discipline and efficiency and less hypocrisy, and a better rule of law and electoral democracy."

So far, Summit has invested USD 1.2 billion in the country and now provides jobs to 5,000 people. Summit has recently been awarded the prestigious "AAA" long-term rating and "ST-1" short-term rating by Credit Rating Information and Services Ltd, the country's first credit rating company.

It indicates Summit's strong equity base, good return on investment, earnings prospects, operating performance of the investee companies, good debt repayment capacity, a high franchise value, and an experienced top management team, according to the rating agency.

"This is an excellent recognition for the company's corporate governance and attitude towards business, remaining within the rule of law. We are exceedingly delighted that a private sector industrial company in Bangladesh could get 'AAA' rating."

Looking ahead, the company plans to invest more – if the government awards it more contracts. "I hope the government would allow us to set up plants to generate another 1,000mw of electricity, construct and operate ports, and lay fibre optic in more areas."

Provided he has time and strength, Khan said he will work directly for an inclusive society.

"It is disheartening and hurtful to see differentiations in a society," Khan said, adding that it is morally incorrect.

"We can't keep the vast majority of the population less educated, receiving less opportunity. We have to unleash the full potential of the society."

 

Nasir Uddin Biswas - 2012

For Nasir Uddin Biswas, the biggest temptation of life was to convert his dream into a masterpiece of reality. The name of such a masterpiece is Nasir Group of Industries.

From a small trader in the 1970s, Biswas now runs a group of nine units, from float glass to energy-saving bulbs, all leaders in the sectors. With nearly Tk 2,000 crore in annual turnover, the conglomerate has set excellent repayment standards over the years and become a preferred client for banks.

"I always believe in innovation. I look for products that are not being made in Bangladesh but have huge demand among our people," said Biswas.

He also thinks about import substitutes and, accordingly, takes steps to set up his industries.

"I go for the products that are not available in Bangladesh as those will generate employment and save foreign currencies from import payments," he says.

Nasir Group now employs more than 23,000 people. The company is also the country's biggest melamine and float glass manufacturer and has a sports shoe plant.

Its philanthropic wing is also quite big. The company has been spending around Tk 5 crore a year for over four years on social welfare activities through setting up schools and colleges. Nasir Group also has a modern hospital to help the poor.

But the path to his success was not so smooth. He had to go through many upheavals in life to reach the pinnacle. He has spent a lot of money on research and development to diversify products.

Coming from a farmer's family in Kushtia, Biswas, a commerce graduate, struggled to turn his dreams into a reality despite a long spell of failures at the start of his career, but nothing could stop him.

He got a breakthrough in 1975 because of a good connection with Akij Uddin, founder of Akij Group of Industries. Akij asked him to supply tobacco to his Dhaka Tobacco Factory, one of the largest factories at that time.

"I started supplying tobacco in 1975. He (Akij) treated me like a son."

But the business ties with Akij did not last long. A "misunderstanding" with Akij helped him become an industrialist from a mere tobacco trader, Biswas says.

He then set up North Bengal Plastic Industry in Kushtia in 1977. The factory was not so successful at the beginning, but he did not give in. His dedication and patience paid off in 1980-81 when he started getting returns from it.

Later, he realised that all his dreams would not come true in a small town. He bought a piece of land in Kanchpur near Dhaka in 1982 and set up his sports shoe factory (Jump Keds).

Since then, he never looked back. Today many consider him as the pioneer of a number of manufactured products in the country.

The visionary businessman says Bangladesh has a huge potential to grow and compete with other countries. But three things – corruption, energy crisis, and high bank interest rate – are the biggest challenges.

"Corruption is eating into our potential. The energy crisis is also holding us back," he says.

Biswas set up two factories in Mirzapur under Tangail district to make energy saving bulbs and glassware. He invested nearly Tk 700 crore, including bank loans, in these factories and finished the work in 2009. But he is yet to get gas connections for the plants.

"I am running these factories with alternative energy, which is pushing my production costs up manifold," he says.

Doing business has become even harder due to high bank interest rates, Biswas says. "It's quite tough to survive with an 18 percent interest rate."

Even so, he continues to march on with his innovative ideas. Now Biswas is forging ahead with an entirely new project – very high-grade glass tableware and glass tubing for fluorescent and energy saving lamps – never made before in Bangladesh.

 

Anwar Hossain - 2011

Anwar Hossain, the chairman of Anwar Group of Industries, one of the best-known conglomerates in Bangladesh, said that the goal of his early life of creating as many jobs for his countrymen as possible has not changed at all.

The company has business interests in areas such as garments, textiles, crockery, spinning, tins, cement, jute and jute products, sweater, plastic, tea, automobiles, education, and real estate – employing more than 14,000 people.

"I always wanted to create jobs for my countrymen. I am not happy with 14,000 workers. I want to make it 25,000," he said.

Although he now employs thousands of people, he learnt the basics of the business from a friend of his elder brother, working for him for around six months.

Anwar used to divide his time between Islamia High School and the family business. He attended school up to 1pm. From midday he concentrated on the business at Chawkbazar, where he also used to have his lunch and take private tuition in the evening.

It took only five years for Anwar to understand the nitty-gritty of the business. "I always thought how I can better the business. I was a child but I worked better than an adult."

In 1953, he started his garments business – Anwar Cloth Store – in Chawkbazar.

In 1956, he set up Sunshine Cable and Rubber Industry, the first Bengali-controlled industry in Pakistan.

Later, he quit the business leaving it in the hands of his uncle and brothers.

He did a good business and earned a lot of money until 1958, when General Ayub Khan declared martial law. Anwar made a declaration of his wealth and opened an income tax file. He was only about 20-years-old at that time, which raised eyebrows from many.

He also took help from a visually challenged person, Mohammad Hafiz, one of the top businessmen at that time. Hafiz had jute and textile mills in both West and East Pakistan.

Anwar used to buy yarn from his factory and sell those in Narayanganj and other places.

By the time he met Hafiz, Anwar had nine shops. Hafiz asked him to set up a factory instead of relying on shops.

Anwar bought a power loom and many other associated machineries from the East Pakistan Small Industries Corporation, which is now Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation. In 1966, he set up a factory, Anwar Silk Mills, in Tongi to make banarasi saris.

He produced "Mala Sari" which was an instant hit. Since then, he never looked back. He added a number of other companies to his name.

Later, he bought machines to manufacture cutlery spoon and crockery from enamel at Monowar Industries Private Ltd in Tejgaon, his first venture in the independent Bangladesh.

"I worked day and night since 1962," he said.

Anwar initiated the process to set up the country's first private bank. He along with a group of businesspeople from Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry was able to convince the then government in 1978 that the country needs private banks.

A former director of the DCCI, Anwar later set up The City Bank Ltd and City Insurance Ltd.

Anwar, who won a parliamentary seat in the 1988 polls as an independent candidate, said he is happy as he has been able to prepare his three sons to run the Group. Responsibilities have been equally distributed among them.

The Group spends generously as part of its corporate social responsibility. It has set up eye hospital, maternity centre, day-care centre for 250 children, orphanage, madrasas, primary schools, and high schools.

Anwar thanked his mother and his wife for standing beside him all the time.

 

Major General (retd) Amjad Khan Chowdhury - 2010

Amjad Khan Chowdhury, chief executive of PRAN-RFL Group, faced the real test of entrepreneurship when he set up an agro-processing factory at Ghorashal in Narsingdi in 1991.

Before entering into the agro-processing business, Chowdhury travelled in different sectors from real estate to manufacturing of foundry items, but none of them paid him the best yields.

But Chowdhury did not stop his journey. He pressed on with an innovative idea that transformed a small company into a conglomerate.

The Wealth of Nations, a bestseller by Adam Smith, taught him that business takes place mainly due to a gap between supply and demand.

"I observed that there was a huge gap between supply and demand in agro-processing business in Bangladesh. So, I decided to start the entrepreneurial journey in agro-processing business," he said.

A small idea in agro-processing business in 1991 made Chowdhury an employer of more than 30,000 people directly and 64,000 farmers countrywide.

The idea not only made the group a market leader in the segment, but also helped generate gross revenue of Tk 2,600 crore in fiscal 2009-10, while the target for fiscal 2010-11 was fixed at Tk 4,000 crore.

The group exports products to 75 countries.

Before stepping into agro-processing business, Chowdhury used to cultivate vegetables, fruits, and other agro-products on six acres of leased land in Ghorashal, Narsingdi to supply to major markets in Dhaka. But it was not paying him good dividends.

He set up the company's first agro-processing factory in Ghorashal with machinery purchased on auction and started processing pineapple, mango, papaya and other fruits to make juice, pickles, jam, and jelly.

Later, when the business clicked, Chowdhury went big in manufacturing and set up six plants in Narsingdi, Gazipur, Bhairab, Mymensingh, Rangpur, and Sirajganj, producing more than 400 products ranging from plastic to jelly.

A relentless entrepreneur, Chowdhury started his business career in 1981, after retiring from the Bangladesh Army in the same year, through setting up a small company, Rangpur Foundry Ltd, in Rangpur to make irrigation pumps.

But his foundry venture did not pay off well enough, which prompted him to diversify his business.

Chowdhury went into real estate as demand for apartments was going up among the rising middle-class in Dhaka and its adjacent areas. That is why Property Development Ltd came into being.

Creating jobs through setting up businesses is the best practice of corporate social responsibility, he said. "I have seen a lot of unemployed women gathering at the gate of PRAN factories in Rangpur."

"Later, I employed them at my factories and now many of them are self-reliant," Chowdhury said.

Born in Natore in 1940, Chowdhury started his education at St Gregory's School in Old Dhaka.

He joined the Pakistan Army in 1956 and was commissioned in 1958 before his assignment in Sargoda in Pakistan. He returned to Bangladesh during the Liberation War in 1971.

 

Md Saiful Islam - 2009

Trained as a mariner, Md Saiful Islam retired from his job at Bangladesh Shipping Corporation in 1986 to bet his fortunes on business.

The same year, he set up a small office at Motijheel in Dhaka to render technical services to ocean-going ships and supply spare parts for vessels. But the venture did not augur well initially.

It was the Gulf War of 1990 that presented a window of opportunity, as the turbulence shifted overhauling and technical works of ocean-going vessels to his company. He never looked back since then.

In 1990, Islam established Al-Islam Apparel Group under a joint venture. Seeking more value-added businesses, he established a German-Bangladesh joint venture, Picard (Bangladesh) Ltd, in 1997 to produce leather goods under the brand name of Picard.

It was in 1994 when Islam launched his most successful venture so far: shipbuilding. Western Marine Shipyard Ltd is one of the largest shipyards in Bangladesh. It began its own journey in 2000.

The company is in action in the global arena, exporting new ships.

Md Saiful Islam, on winning The Daily Star's Business Person of the Year award said: "It is a big achievement and great recognition."

"Even if it is not at the state level, people not only in Bangladesh but also foreigners who have trade relations with Bangladesh value The Daily Star in a different way."

"As a result, this broadens exposure of the awardees. It also acknowledges our sincerity and honesty," he said.

Islam won the award due to his outstanding contribution to the growth of the company that now employs 4,200 people and generates over USD 70 million in annual turnover.

The company that started as a small shipbuilder in 2000 has now over 66 vessels, including six that were exported, to its name. It exports to Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Denmark.

Islam said: "The award also encourages us in personal life. When someone bags recognition of this stature, the awardees try to bring in more accuracy and perfection to their work."

"From that sense, the responsibility of the awardees to the society and clients grows further. This award is given not only because you have performed well, but also because you have to keep up the momentum."

The noted businessman said the award has also increased their social responsibility.

"We will definitely enjoy the recognition. But we have to perform better to prove that The Daily Star and DHL Express made the right judgment."

He said the award has also boosted his exposure. "It will not only help me in direct sales, but also will help in social life."

As the exposure grows, his comfort level also rises, said Islam.

"The most important aspect of the award is that the awardees are chosen not on the basis of the recommendations of The Daily Star or DHL Express, but it is done through an independent evaluation agency. It shows that it is a neutral process," he said.

On his shipbuilding business, Islam said: "The business is good but moving a bit slowly as the recovery from the global economic crisis is not that fast in the sector compared to the pace in other sectors."

"But I think there is no need for us to worry as we make small and medium vessels, and the demand for this type of ship is still encouraging."

Western Marine is now in negotiation with different parties for offers worth USD 120 million. The company hopes to bag at least 80 percent of the offers.

 

Abdul Monem - 2008

Every cloud has a silver lining. The proverb best fits the rise of Abdul Monem, whose businesses generated around Tk 800 crore in turnover in 2008.

He came to Dhaka almost empty-handed in the early 1950s, with just a secondary school certificate.

The initial days were hard to survive before he clinched the opportunity to obtain a one-year diploma degree in civil engineering. He stood first in the final exam.

That was the beginning for Monem, the chairman and managing director of Abdul Monem Ltd that has an array of businesses ranging from civil construction to food and beverages, and power to pharmaceutical sectors.

"I got two offers after my result. One was a government job and the other was to be a contractor under a partnership with more than 10 percent as a shareholder," said Monem.

"I opted for the second one," he says.

The business ran well. But seven years later his partner decided to quit.

"It was unexpected for me and my lone journey began with Tk 20,000 in hand."

The first contract he won was to supply brick for the Ishwardi-Nandail road in Mymensingh. He was able to complete the task by virtue of a Tk 60,000 loan he got from one of his well-wishers, says Monem.

"I made a profit of Tk 120,000," he says.

Since then, Monem never stepped back as his businesses grew on the back of his sincerity and ability to take high risks to accomplish challenging tasks.

The 44-kilometre Khulna-Mongla highway, which was constructed in 1984, is such a risky venture that Monem took and won.

"It's one of the tough tasks I had to go through," he says, recalling his first visit to the site before starting the construction works.

"We had to leave our jeep in Bagerhat as there was no road communication system. I along with one of my engineers wore lungi and moved inside the low-lying swampy fields to get an idea about the work. I almost lost hope after visiting the site."

The Khulna-Mongla highway is not the only example of gigantic tasks like building dam to change the river flow to save the Dhaleshwari Bridge from tide.

"Allah (God) rescued me in many of the construction works," he says.

The testimony of Monem Construction could be found in various infrastructure development projects including those aided by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and Islamic Development Bank.

Constructions of the four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway, access road to Bangabandhu Bridge over the Jamuna River, and Osmani International Airport in Sylhet are the living examples of Abdul Monem.

"Whatever I do, I believe in doing the best," says Monem, who was awarded gold medal in 2009 by the International Federation of Asian & Western Pacific Contractors' Association.

His indefatigable spirit has also encouraged Monem to diversify his businesses from construction to beverage.

In 1982 Monem acquired K Rahman & Company and started bottling Coca-Cola beverages.

About the business, he says: "It's a matter of pleasure to be a part of such a prestigious company. Coca-Cola is the global leader in beverage."

Five years later Monem established a new bottling plant in Comilla and Abdul Monem Ltd (AML) expanded the capacity to help Coca-Cola retain its leadership in the beverage market.

And he got the recognition from Coca-Cola. In 1991, AML was given the President's Turtle Award by the president of Coca-Cola Company, one of the prestigious awards from the global soft drink giant.

Along with distributing Coca-Cola products across the country except Dhaka and Rajshahi, AML produces and markets leading Igloo brand ice cream.

AML is also involved in making milk products, agro-processed foods, sugar, pharmaceuticals, power generation, and business consultancy with its turnover growing every year.

In eight years to 2008, the turnover of AML, which has nine units including its CSR (corporate social responsibility) wing Abdul Monem Foundation, more than doubled to around Tk 800 crore.

Monem attributes the growth of the company to honesty and sincerity he had shown since the beginning of his business.

"Till date, I have been maintaining my philosophy of doing quality works with honesty. My inspiration was one of my sub-contractors Chan Mia who joined me on the condition that I will never ask him for any unethical acts," he says.

AML directly employs 3,000 staffs. Many of the employees have been serving the company since 1970s, as Monem believes in delegation of responsibility and authority to the employees.

The employees are also upbeat about the freedom they enjoy.

"I render my love and affection to my workers, but, when necessary, I am also strict with them," says Monem.

His relationships with other stakeholders also appear to be good as Monem maintains a good credit record with banks and pays taxes regularly.

As recognition, the National Board of Revenue gave him the Best Taxpayer Award for longest duration for Dhaka region. In 2007 Jamuna Bank offered him the Business Excellence Award.

Emerging from the grassroots, Monem also feels for the society. And as his company's commitment to the advancement of the society, AML has formed the CSR wing to work especially for the welfare of the poor.

 

KM Rezaul Hasanat - 2007

KM Rezaul Hasanat's moment of truth arrived in 2003: he took the most crucial decision of his life and vowed to buy the remaining 90 percent stakes in Youngones Fashions Ltd where he was the CEO with 10 percent shares.

"When other shareholders, who offered me 10 percent stake in the company as a working partner and CEO, decided to quit the business, my instincts told me to take a risk," Hasanat recalled.

There has been a gulf of differences between taking a decision and its implementation. He started looking for sources of finance.

"I approached my university friends who joined private commercial banks. I managed to make bank officials understand about the viability of my plan to buy the struggling garment factory," said Hasanat, who obtained his Master's degree in management from Dhaka University in 1988.

"Finally, I bought the company: I purchased only the name of the company, not the assets. I shifted the factory to Tongi in Gazipur district in the same year and went into commercial operations," said a smiling Hasanat. Since then, Hasanat did not look back.

Son of a small businessman, Hasanat never planned to join any corporate house as an employee. Born in 1963, Hasanat had business in his blood: he used to look after his father's construction material business in Naogaon district during his early days.

Hasanat's ventures can be termed "from micro to macro." His beginning was very humble. After completion of university education, he started his career by supplying stationery and equipment to offices in 1988.

In 1996, he got a chance to demonstrate his entrepreneurial skills as he joined Youngones Fashions Ltd at Tejgaon in Dhaka as the CEO.

The board of directors of Youngones agreed to offer him 10 percent shares as the working partner. He started working hard for the company with 2,000 workers.

Hasanat's business has now grown and his Viyellatex Group includes Youngones Fashions Ltd, Viyellatex Ltd, Interfab Shirt Manufacturing Ltd, Fashion Plastic and Packaging Ltd, and Gothic Design Ltd.

The group's annual turnover was around USD 108 million (Tk 745.2 crore approximately) in 2006-07 fiscal year. In 2006-07, its garment export reached USD 106 million against USD 56 million in 2005-06 and USD 48 million in 2004-05.

Viyellatex's buyers include G-STAR, ESPIRIT, Puma, Marks and Spencer, S Oliver, PVH, and Tesco.

An entrepreneur's journey never ends. Every year is a fresh year for Viyellatex Group Chairman Hasanat.

"The group is about to achieve its ambitious export target of USD 125 in 2007-08 fiscal year," Hasanat said.

"The group also plans to invest USD 12 million in the next one year to upgrade its production activities. The group will also introduce well-known 'lean production' system to improve workers' productivity," Hasanat added.

In garment factories, traditional production lines are disappearing. In the lean system, teams of workers sit in small groups passing unfinished garments to each other. On a production line there are many people, but the system is not in balance. If one operation goes slow, there is a bottleneck.

In the team or lean system, it is much easier to find a balance and eliminate bottlenecks since workers can easily switch between operations, according to garment factory managers.

Hasanat is always enthusiastic about new technologies as he believes only new expertise, skills, and innovations can make a business competitive. He is going to install the world's renowned enterprise resources planner software at a cost of USD 1 million to monitor the real time production activities of his business.

"Once the lean production system is introduced and the resources planner software is installed the production in terms of both quality and quantity will be improved," said Hasanat.

He is also keen to ensure better management everywhere in business. "The group puts emphasis on hiring quality human resources and financial management people."

The Gazipur-based group that employs around 8,000 workers plans to pay 25 percent more than the minimum wage structure set by the government to ensure better living condition of workers from June.

Viyellatex Group has set up factories ranging from yarn to garment and accessories, ensuring smooth supply chain.

Hasanat did not even want to depend on accessories manufacturers to make his export shipment hassle free, prompting him to establish Fashion Plastic and Packaging Ltd.

The most expensive investment in apparel production is spinning mill since it needs a lot of capital machinery, skilled manpower, and huge space. Viyellatex Spinning with 40,320 spindles was set up in 2005.

Hasanat's Viyellatex aims to produce high-end products. In 2007, he set up Gothic Design to develop garment print techniques to woo trendy customers with trendy designs.

On the corporate social responsibility front, Viyellatex offers scholarships to poor students. It has donated Tk 2.60 million to the Bangladesh Thalassaemia Samity to purchase refrigerated equipment for blood banks. It also sponsored Tk 3.5 million for constructing an auditorium of Monsur Girls' School at Naogaon.

Viyellatex Group has purchased a piece of land at Tongi in Gazipur district to set up an 80-bed hospital.

The group tends to the environment as well. It has embarked on a plan to use 60,000 litres of recycled effluent water as toilet water per day to save underground water apart from another plan to store rainwater for daily use.

Hasanat, an enthusiastic golf player, terms barriers to business as strength. "If businesses cross the barriers with honesty and sincerity, they will definitely succeed."

 

Md Nasir Uddin - 2006

It was a dinner some 27 years ago at a swanky restaurant in downtown Colombo that changed Md Nasiruddin's life forever and that sowed the seeds of Pacific Jeans, one of the largest and pioneering readymade garment industries in the country.

He was in Sri Lanka on a business trip – trading and ship breaking were Nasiruddin's main areas then. During a dinner with his local business partner, he was introduced to a business magnate who was into readymade garment.

During dinner, the magnate suddenly said: "Do you know, Bangladesh might be a good place to start readymade garment industries. Low labour cost there is the best merit."

Nasiruddin's business instincts told him the comment was not to be taken lightly. On his return, he contacted a Japanese firm, also his business partner, to prepare a feasibility report on RMG industry in Bangladesh. The report, when it came, proved the Sri Lankan entrepreneur right – Bangladesh has every condition to be an apparel exporter.

Nasiruddin swung into action, he ordered machinery from Japan and recruited two factory managers from Hong Kong. The factory site was bought and building built. Workers were recruited and trained. Finally, in 1984, Nasiruddin emerged as a garment entrepreneur.

His first order was from a Minnesota buyer. This was 24,000 pieces of shirts.

"It was a great time for us," Nasiruddin says. "We all worked hard and got the orders ready. We booked air cargo and sent 15,000 pieces of the order in the first phase."

The wait for payment began, but it never came. Months later, it transpired that he would never get payment for his first order as the US company went bankrupt.

"I sank into despair," Nasiruddin recalls. "It was tough struggle for us as we had to pay salary to 600 workers every month. The first year – 1984 – was a total loss. I thought I would never be an entrepreneur."

But, Naisruddin has business in his blood – his father and grandfather were traders at Khatunganj, the business hub of Chittagong. So, he got himself together and set down the strategy – explore markets and find new buyers.

So, for the next three years he started walking around the major apparel fairs – from Cologne's Interjeans Fair to Las Vegas' Magic Show. Buyers' interest was lukewarm and frustrating as Bangladesh was still an unknown sourcing destination for apparels.

Then the first break came for him. Jordache, now an extinct brand but then a big name, placed orders with him. And then, there was no looking back for Nasiruddin. C&A, Gap, and H&M – they all started coming to him.

"But I was mainly doing low-end orders just as many of our RMG owners do even now," said Nasiruddin.

But then he knows how to reach for the sky. It was a big time for shifting the global RMG industry from countries like Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. He brought in more experts from Hong Kong and Sri Lanka and got ready to get out of the low-end range to the high-medium. He decided to expand his factory in the EPZ. In 1994, he forked in a huge amount into his project.

"It was in 2000 and I was walking down the Fifth Avenue in New York with my son," Nasiruddin recalls another turn in his life. "I stopped in front of the GAP shop and then went inside. I looked up the trousers on the front rack – all marked USA and Mexico. I told my son: One day soon, my products will be on these racks. I tell you."

His son, Tanvir, laughed. "Baba, isn't it too much of a dream?"

"I tell you son. I will be here one day soon."

And he was right. It took him another one and a half years to bag GAP orders. Today, the main rows of the Fifth Avenue store are decked with his products, proudly labelled, "Made in Bangladesh."

Dedication, honesty, and determination led him to the level he earned today in the country's business arena. And these were the driving forces of his march and he has built a big business empire.

Born at Salimpur village in Sitakunda of Chittagong district, Nasir has a good sense of business, which contributed to grow such an empire worth Tk 3.5 billion. The annual turnover of his business is now over Tk 7.5 billion.

It may seem unbelievable today that Nasir, in a bid to diversify his business, started importing tyre and tube and light machinery with a meagre amount of Tk 50,000 soon after the Liberation War.

His most famous enterprise Pacific Jeans' sister concern NZN Fashion, NZN Washing Plant Limited, Diamond Fashion Ltd, Jeans 2000 Ltd, and Pacific Accessories Ltd now employ over 20,000 people.

The visionary businessperson, Nasir, always puts his efforts on bringing about new dimension in his business, so he sometimes switches over to new ventures for more value addition and earning foreign exchange.

"I strived my whole life to work on upholding the country's image abroad with involving more people in my business. I found the readymade garment sector ideal for this purpose," he said.

Maintaining good relation with partners is another secret of achievement, Nasir went on.

He believes continuous research and observation before starting any business helped him achieve his goals.

He has already set ambitious goals for the future. His vision is to launch his own brand of apparel product line in the fashion retail markets of the West.

He is also committed to corporate social responsibilities involving him in different social welfare organisations. He is one of the financial patrons of an organisation that provides assistance to leukaemia-affected children. He contributes towards education of the rural people, especially for girls' education by managing and funding 100 students every year. He established four schools in his native village. He is also founding member of Bepza Public High School & College at the CEPZ.

 

Fazlur Rahman - 2005

In the late 1950s, a nine-year old boy in Gandaria had to leave school unexpectedly and take over the responsibility of his family when his father was stricken with paralysis.

Despite years of struggle when the boy ran a grocery store at a very tender age, he always harboured a secret dream. He aspired to be a business magnate when he grew up! He was still too young to verbalise what it was he wanted to do, but of the ultimate goal, he was sure of. That, in a nutshell, is the background of none other than Fazlur Rahman, a well acknowledged player in the private sector today and the proud owner of a business conglomerate worth Tk 4.5 billion.

The enterprise that Rahman has created, City Group, today produces numerous items in the food sector ranging from various types of oil (soybean, palm, mustard, and coconut), to flour, iodised salt, and mineral water. These products are all branded as "Teer," his flagship brand that has become a successful household name.

Some of the companies in his group are also engaged in producing feedmeal, woven bags, steel rods, tin containers, and plastic drums. Approximately 5,000 people are employed by Rahman. His personal contribution to the national exchequer amounts to Tk 19 million.

City Group's journey over the years has not been an easy ride, even though Rahman is characteristically modest about his perseverance in the initial years.

"There was no hardship, only ups and downs", he comments.

Rahman remembers using his entire life savings to launch his first venture of mustard oil production at the age of 19.

This company, City Oil Mills, eventually saw some profits which were all wiped out in the early 1970s when oil prices dropped.

Undaunted, Rahman borrowed from a friend and again restarted his mills including a new steel mill in 1980.

Unfortunately, the flood of 1988 again destroyed his inventories and pulled him down. Understanding financiers and an ever-supportive invalid father, Rahman never had to look back again.

In that very year, he was able to profit Tk 35 million even after paying his banks off. Over the next decade, he was able to take his enterprise to new heights by launching a soybean refinery, re-rolling mill, flour mill, and buying a tank terminal.

Retrospectively, Rahman knows that each of his decisions to enter new product areas took an average of 10 years, but he is satisfied with the scale and scope he has been able to build up today.

He knew that with increasing population, changing lifestyle, and growing quality consciousness, the food sector would be lucrative. And he also rightly predicted that quality production would be critical.

That is precisely why he has invested in state-of-the-art European machinery to give "Teer" products an edge over others. He also ensures better raw materials vis-à-vis other competitors in the hope that "Teer" will come to represent quality, quantity, and commitment to his millions of consumers.

Rahman is disturbed by the recent scandals in the Bangladeshi food business. He feels the damage that has been done by the dubious exports of one company will take years to overcome.

"This incident has brought tremendous disgrace for our entire country and has significantly affected our prospects for food export," he points out.

He is also frustrated by the widespread practice of adulterating food products in the domestic market. As far as his own business philosophy is concerned, Rahman feels that if a company does not have good relations with customers, quality production, and efficient service, it will not be able to survive in the long run – these should be considered as the basic mantra for success.

At the same time, Rahman is outspoken against the operations of the mobile food courts. He feels that these surveillance teams often do not have real experience, equipment, and expertise to carry out proper analysis; hence they should not be allowed to destroy people's decades of effort by issuing random reports.

Overall, Rahman believes that professionalism and responsible business practices will flourish in corporate Bangladesh once entrepreneurs mature beyond the current first generation. He also feels that the government can play a more effective role in helping our private sector become more competitive.

Rahman cites specific areas that can benefit from intervention for instance, businesses need coherent policy support and interest rate consistency to compete with our neighbouring countries. Furthermore, the entire range of benefits available as part of SAARC and other trade agreements have remained largely unexplored.

Industry is the key to growth for our country; if the government realises this and works towards removing the obstacles, the private sector of this country can achieve much more.

Rahman's vision for the future is to provide hygienic and quality food consumables to consumers at an affordable price. He also has an ambitious plan of producing a complete food chain including milk powder, spices, and additives that can occupy the entire shelf of a standard food store.

 

Kazi Zahedul Hasan - 2004

Stories of professionals creating successful enterprises are still rare in this country. That of a trained architect entering an unrelated sector like poultry has got to be absolutely unprecedented. But that is exactly the story of Kazi Zahedul Hasan.

Born in 1941 in Dhaka, Hasan graduated from Buet in 1962 and joined the same institution as a lecturer. In 1963, he availed of an USAID scholarship and left for an architecture degree at Harvard University. He returned to the country after four years and started teaching again at Buet while working part-time at an architectural firm. Over the next 10 years of his life, Hasan went through a series of major life-changing events. Starting with marriage in 1968 and the birth of his twin sons, he went back to Massachusetts for his wife's PhD and then moved to Saudi Arabia to teach at King Abdul Aziz University.

Hasan returned to the country for good in 1983 and made a sequence of decisions that eventually led to where he is today. At the beginning, he did what was probably most expected of him – he opened up his own architectural outfit.

But soon, intrigued by the booming sector of export-oriented RMGs, he launched Kazi Fashion Ltd. In 1995, he bought a large piece of land in Sreepur to construct a textile factory that would feed into his garment-making unit. Constructed on 2 bighas of land, the textile factory still left another 30 bighas idle.

Toying with ideas of how this land can be utilised, Hasan at first tested fish cultivation. The quality of the soil, however, was not conducive for water retention. At this time, destiny played a major role. On a trip to Delhi, he met, through friends, a man who was a pioneer in the Indian poultry business. From then on, Hasan's life shifted onto an entirely different track.

Enchanted by the peace and quiet of poultry farms, which proved especially refreshing after the perennial problems of RMG production, Hasan eagerly studied the Bangladeshi poultry market. The sector was completely new to him but he discovered immense potential in the fact that the commercial poultry breeding industry was fragmented at that time – a few breeding farms existed but were not profitable and had not implemented much of modern technology.

Aggregate market demand was definitely not being met locally; on the other hand, imports were expensive and there were not enough flights available to carry live cargo. Overall, it seemed like a perfect scenario that demanded intervention – and the Ivy League architect was more than willing to chip in.

Hasan travelled to numerous countries that are currently the top names in the poultry sector, i.e., Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, US, Philippines, etc., chose the latest technologies and promptly launched the first company of Kazi Farms Group, Kazi Farms Ltd, in 1996.

Today, the group is engaged in a whole range of integrated poultry activities, starting from parent stock chicks and day-old broiler and layer chicks to broiler chicken, hatching eggs, and commercial feed, through numerous enterprises. The company employs a large number of trained expatriates, local poultry veterinarians, and management specialists. It also has a well-equipped poultry laboratory.

Till date, Kazi Farms has played a pioneering role in numerous aspects of the poultry sector. The group launched the first grandparent stock farm in the country meaning that local breeders no longer have to pay high prices, in foreign currency, to source the parent flock from abroad. From February this year, the company has also started exporting hatching eggs, i.e., eggs that are used for commercial poultry meat production, for the first time in Bangladesh. With the support of international partners and affiliations, Hasan has made sure the best practices are implemented in these highly scientific processes for optimum productivity.

The group also places enormous importance on ensuring quality. Its international standard production and performance levels have gained much popularity among customers. It has also gained genuine goodwill because of its discipline in loan repayments. Also noteworthy is its role in environmental stewardship – Hasan truly believes in building, operating, and maintaining its facilities in a manner that is consistent with the long-term sustainability of the eco-system.

So, what key challenges did this professional-turned-entrepreneur face at the onset? Hasan, retrospectively, admits that doing business in Bangladesh is difficult, especially after living abroad. Still, what works are the support system of friends and relatives and the individual determination to persevere. Besides, he adds, "Bangladesh has a lot of opportunities to offer. For instance, you cannot even think of entering poultry in mature markets like the US. Work and patience do pay off here."

In terms of future plans, Hasan has a lot in the pipeline. Kazi Farms is considering further processing of its products and offering more value-addition in terms of dressed, ready-to-eat, and organic poultry products. In the upcoming years, local production can easily capture the regional export market.

Food product export from Bangladesh is generally not perceived to be an easy task, for example, Europe requires stringent compliance as a prerequisite but overall, it is very much achievable.

 

Mohammed Mizanur Rahman - 2003

Borrowing money from banks to set up businesses and making timely repayments – without seeking time extensions or interest waivers – are rare in our present-day society. But there are a few entrepreneurs who are outside the mainstream. They work diligently with honesty and sincerity to achieve their goals. Mohammed Mizanur Rahman is such a businessman.

He has set many examples in his 41-year career – eight years in banking and 33 years in business. A pioneer in the ship breaking industry, Rahman showed the courage to import the first very large crude carrier (VLCC) in 1985. He was also the first entrepreneur to set up a cold roll coil industry in the country in 1997. Now Rahman, founder chairman of PHP Group, is envisioning the country's first integrated steel mill to produce CI sheets from the basic ingredient of iron ore.

Born in 1941 in Rupganjthana under Narayanganj district, Rahman started his career in a private company, for a meagre Tk 100 monthly salary, just after completing his HSC education in 1963. Two years later, he joined the National Bank of Pakistan (now Sonali Bank) completing his graduation and a diploma in banking. The year 1966 was a turning point for his career as he joined the Eastern Mercantile Bank (now Pubali Bank) with a five-grade promotion at a time.

But soon his banking career drew to an end as he decided to switch over to self-employment. Rahman's father – Sufi Mohammed Daemuddin – inspired him to start his own venture. "If you know how to do business, money will be no problem," his father told him in his early life. Rahman understood the meaning of these words later.

Just after independence, he resigned from work and started a small business with hardly any capital. With only Tk 1,483 in hand, he got involved in importing tyres, tubes, and later trading CI sheets. He had learnt the export-import business while working in the foreign exchange departments of various banks which now helped him immensely. And the tremendous scope for doing business in the post-liberation period greatly encouraged him. "Life consists of a few decisions and it is very important to take the right decision at the right time," Rahman said as he recalls successfully utilising the business opportunities existing at that time.

As he maintained good relationships with banks and earned their confidence, banks would open letters of credit for him with nil margin and grant him trust receipt under which he could take delivery of imported goods. After selling the products, he could make payments to the banks. "I always thought I had taken money from someone and I must repay on time. Sometimes I repaid the banks' money though I could not make any profit. I never requested them for waiving interests or extending time for repayment and, in turn, on many occasions banks helped me out."

The genuine entrepreneurs are paying heavily for a default culture. It is very difficult to survive for a business after paying 14 percent interest on loans. Entrepreneurs could get loans at five percent interest if banks' money is properly utilised and loans are repaid on time, Rahman feels.

"Entrepreneurs face impediments at every stage of achieving their goals. The present working environment, particularly in government offices, is not conducive. There are many people who can really do something for the country but, due to lack of policy support, they are lagging behind."

The first project of the group was a ship-breaking plant set up in 1982 involving huge risks. But when Rahman succeeded, other entrepreneurs got involved in the same business. They used to purchase 4,000-5,000 tons capacity ships at this stage. But Rahman took another risk purchasing a 40,000-ton capacity very large crude carrier for the first time in 1985. This initiative added a new dimension to the ship-breaking industry.

Then Rahman set up a re-rolling mill to manufacture MS rods. In 1986, the group expanded its business by setting up a CI sheet mill and, in a short period of time, two more units were added. Setting up of the first cold roll coil (CR coil) mill in the country in 1997 was a turning point for the group.

In these areas, the group obtained technical support from Kobe Steel Industry of Japan. "We have tried to infuse Japanese business culture in our organisation – in terms of product, quality, management, marketing, administration, research and development, and human resource development. We have been successful as our quality is now equivalent to that of Japanese products," Rahman observes.

At present, the group has around 5,000 employees in different units and Rahman is very much sincere in ensuring their welfare. Rafiqul Islam, an employee of the business group, died of cancer in 1994 but his family did not face any financial problem after his death as the company continued to extend all financial benefits to the family including the increments and bonuses he used to enjoy when he was alive.

The group also believes in investing for its long-term goals. Many of the employees' children are now doing their higher studies abroad and the group is ready to welcome them after completing their education. All of Rahman's seven sons went abroad for their education. After completing their studies, five have already returned home and taken responsibilities of different companies of the group to take it forward further.

PHP has been able to build confidence not only at home but also in the international arena. Korean company Posco, which owns the largest steel mill in the world, exports its hot roll coils to very few selected buyers, of which PHP is one. PHP is also an active exporter in the global market. PHP Shipbreaking & Recycling Industries Ltd exports copper and other products to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and other countries. Other products of the group are exported to Myanmar, China, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and many African countries. Total exports amounted to Tk 98.27 crore in 2003.

A follower of Sufism, Mizanur Rahman is the chief patron of Allama Rumi Society named after father of Sufism Rumi. Rahman likes to speak on Sufism and other religious issues. He has interests in reading books, singing, and meeting great people in his leisure time.

 

Syed Manzur Elahi - 2002

Envision this – you have just walked into a Marks & Spencer outlet in London to buy a pair of shoes; you select one you like and, curious of the place of origin, turn the shoe to see the tag. To your utmost surprise, you see a "Made in Bangladesh" tag! Shocked? Delighted? Possibly very proud. The man whose efforts have made this possible is none other than Syed Manzur Elahi.

Elahi is not only a well-renowned persona in our business community but also a much respected one. He is one of the rare first-generation entrepreneurs who has demonstrated that it is possible to create a successful business house in Bangladesh that can transcend national boundaries and excel in the export market – and that too in the dynamic, highly fashion-sensitive, and most importantly, unprotected industry of leather. He took his chance of a lifetime 30 years ago when an entrepreneurial career did not possess the glamour it does today, at a time when the word "businessman" was associated with smugglers and black-marketeers.

Elahi was born in a well-to-do educated family in Calcutta in 1942. His father Syed Nasim Ali, then chief justice of Calcutta High Court, passed away when Elahi was only four. He was subsequently brought up by his eldest brother in an environment that can essentially be characterised as "plain living, high thinking." Educated in Bishop Westcott Boys School, Ranchi, and St Xavier's College, Calcutta University.

Elahi proceeded to complete his Masters from Dhaka University with first class in economics. Coming from a predominantly civil service family background, he was expected to follow this tradition in making his career choice; but only in the year 1954, the civil service exam was held before the university master's finals preventing Elahi and batchmates from appearing in them – it was this sheer chance of fate that led Elahi to interview with and join the erstwhile Pakistan Tobacco Company after graduation. He worked in his first and last place of employment for seven years at the Chittagong, Karachi, and London offices.

Despite receiving phenomenal salaries and perks, Elahi was bored. He was looking for a chance to venture out of corporate life and that opportunity appeared in the form of a Frenchman he met at a dinner. This man, who was basically a trader, offered him an interesting proposition – to represent him as an agent in Bangladesh. His job would be two-pronged: source leather from Bangladesh for export to Paris and sell the leather chemicals that are imported from Paris to Dhaka. Despite any prior knowledge of leather – without even knowing the difference between hide and skin – he took this opportunity to leave a secure job in 1972 and face the challenges and uncertainties that came with self-employment. In starting his own business after private service, he broke his family tradition for the second time and that too by engaging in a socially stigmatised field – the self-admittedly "dirty and obnoxious" industry of leather. Success soon followed in this simple but lucrative niche and, delighted by his performance, Elahi began contemplating big business.

In 1975, the government started privatising the lossmaking tanneries – the first unit to be sold was one Orient Tannery which had nothing in terms of assets other than a piece of land and a tin-shed. Elahi, in partnership with Md Rahmatullah, bid for this unit, luckily won, and hence entered mainstream leather manufacturing to create the name we are so familiar with today – Apex. He had the right contacts, he brought the necessary equipment, the timing was perfect – all factors combined, Elahi did not have to look back. Starting with wet blue leather, he later moved two stages up into crust leather production which was capital intensive and required expensive machinery; to garner the additional capital, Apex went public in 1982. Forward vertical integration eventually followed into footwear in 1990.

Today, Apex Tannery and Apex Footwear are worth Tk 600 million and Tk 161 million in terms of capital – employing over 2,000 people and exporting Tk 2.3 billion annually to markets in Italy and UK. But it has not always been smooth sailing – Elahi has endured a fair number of obstacles in both local and international contexts. Locally, labour skilled enough to operate sophisticated machinery has been scarce while the volatile nature of international leather prices has led Apex to near bankruptcy as many as three times.

As a leather exporter, Elahi outlines the two advantages Bangladesh has going for itself: (a) the goat skin available is one of the best in the world; and (b) cheap labour. But the disadvantages are a handful: not only are the cowhides one of the worst in the world, but, more seriously, the nation suffers from weak product development and a severe image problem that make international buyers wary. Just like in the RMG category, customers lack confidence in Bangladeshi manufacturers to consistently deliver quality products and, hence, offer below-average prices.

To emphasise the severity of the consequences. Elahi cites a few statistics, "In 1991, both Bangladesh and Vietnam had about 11 leather companies; today, we have around 7 whereas Vietnam has shot up to over 600." Furthermore, competitor countries like India have moved way ahead in this field by investing in know-how; a Central Leather Institute in Chennai employs 40 PhD-holders to work towards solving problems of the industry and improving related machinery and formulas.

By his own admissions, the only way to stay abreast of the latest trends in this sector is through technology – Apex has repeatedly sourced and upgraded its equipment straight from the gurus in leather technology based in Tuscany, Italy. Italy, historically, has been the homeland of famous shoe-makers like Prada.

Elahi has steadfastly believed in investing in the best machines and chemicals as they always pay off in terms of productivity, quality, and accurate product development. Other keys to his success have been a loyal customer base, diligent participation in international leather fairs, and undiluted hard work.

He strongly advocates taking a long-term perspective as a requisite for people involved in export businesses – whether it be in dealing with customers or choosing new lines of business. His management style is founded on the concept of power sharing; "I believe in finding the right kind of people and creating the environment for them to stay."

Retrospectively, Elahi appreciates the understanding role public shareholders have played in weathering the hard times when Apex had been unable to declare dividends. Personally, he acknowledges the support his wife, Nilufer Manzur, displayed in encouraging him to leave his corporate job and pursue new aspirations.

Looking into the near future, he is optimistic about the fate of Bangladeshi leather. "Considering the extent of manual labour that goes into shoemaking, it is no longer possible for European countries to afford to make shoes that sell in the low-price category", he explains. "Factories operating in this segment have increasingly been closing down and relocating to Asian locations."

The good news for Bangladesh is that they are interested in reducing their dependency on China and are keen to expand their sourcing options. However, a positive outlook has not caused him to grow complacent about maintaining competitiveness – anticipating eventual restrictions on exports.

Elahi has already invested in a new tannery plant in Shafipur which started operating seven years ago with state-of-the-art environment-friendly technology and water recycling facilities. He has also diversified the Apex name into the pharmaceutical business with the creation of Apex Pharma.

In the past, he had been an advisor to the caretaker governments in 1996 and 2001 as well as president of MCCI and Bangladesh Employers' Association.

In terms of local value-addition, leather ranks very high as an industry – importing only 10 percent of the total cost of goods sold. In that sense, Elahi no doubt has contributed a significant percentage towards our foreign currency earnings. But his unique contribution has also been in demonstrating to the future generation of entrepreneurs that hard work, enterprise, and bold initiatives into uncharted business waters do pay off.

 

Anisur Rahman Sinha - 2001

On a chilly winter day in 1964, a cricket match was going on at the Dhaka Stadium. An 18-year-old boy was set to face the very first ball of the match. It was a crucial match for both the teams, Gymkhana Sporting Club and Narayanganj-based Eastern Sporting Club, as the winner was sure to get a slot in the first division.

The young man, who was also the captain of the Eastern Sporting Club, and his opening partner did not face any problem in the first few overs. But then came the blow with the change of bowling at one end. The boy lost his partner and in regular intervals wickets were falling at the other end. Then came the fiercest blow. The team captain got out scoring some 30-odd runs. At last, Eastern Sporting managed to score 130 runs, which many said was not enough for a fighting score.

Gymkhana started their innings and it was heading very steadily towards the target. At one stage, it seemed almost certain that Gymkahna would emerge as the winner. But, the young captain of Eastern Sporting had something up his sleeve. He made a bowling change, brought in his leg spinner at one end and opted for an attacking fielding. The tactic yielded good results for his side as the Gymkhana lost two wickets in that over. And then the rest of the match was a nightmare for Gymkhana as it lost wickets in regular intervals and lost the match by a few runs.

Now that "18-years-old boy" is leading one of the leading conglomerates of the country that employs around 27,000 people and its annual turnover reached Tk 1,000 crore. It is none other than the famous apparel exporter Anisur Rahman Sinha, the Chairman of Opex Group, the largest apparel exporter of the country and arguably the biggest in South Asia.

Anisur Rahman Sinha is one of the few entrepreneurs in the country who has the skills and passion for the job he is doing that made him different from others. Business is in his blood, but he never dreamt of becoming a businessman. Yet, Sinha reached a height in business that most people can only dream of.

"Whatever I did in my life I did it with conviction," that is how he describes the magic formula behind his success.

Sinha's family hails from Bikrampur, Munshiganj. But his forefathers went to Kolkata to make a fortune. Coming back to Narayanganj in 1947, business of Sinha's father was going well. But at one stage came a blow. All the go downs of Sinha's father caught fire in 1964. After making a heavy loss Sinha's father had to quit business. 

During the Liberation War in 1971, Sinha was confined in a solitary camp in Pakistan near Afghanistan border. He along with his other Bengali colleagues tried to escape through Afghanistan, but got caught. Even he was tried under martial law court. After Bangladesh emerged victorious, he was repatriated at the end of 1973.

"It was an adventure as well as a horrifying experience. I almost escaped successfully, but as one of my colleagues got caught, I went to get him free by bribing the Pakistani soldiers. But I failed and they put us in a camp in solitary confinement," Sinha said.

Just after repatriation from Pakistan, Sinha retired from the army and set up his own business. His first venture was in construction, supply, and indenting in the mid-1970s, but later Sinha switched to manufacturing in the mid-1980s.

That proved very productive for him and for the country. But initially, when Sinha set up his first RMG unit, things were not like this. At that time, he did not have any role in management and the company ran into troubled water with huge losses. Then Sinha took over the management and over the years made it one of the biggest conglomerates in the country.

In 1991, the biggest blow came to his business career. His factory at Mirpur was damaged in a fire causing a loss of about Tk 8 crore. And worse still, he did not get the insurance money.

It was solely through his vision and sheer effort that Opex Group achieved a number of milestones. It established a solid link in the textile value chain starting from spinning to stitching including weaving, dyeing and finishing, accessories units, and washing plants that made his group the largest apparel exporter of the country.

The most crucial decision Sinha took was in the mid-1990s. As dependence on foreign fabric was making it difficult for Sinha's group to make a big push, he decided to invest in backward linkage and started his textile venture in 1997. And now his textile division supplies all the cotton fabric demand of his RMG units and also supplies fabric to other RMG units.

Even after making his company the largest exporter, Sinha still pushes to be on the top, upgrading machinery, pursuing management development, and diversifying in other areas where the country has a competitive edge.

His latest endeavour is in agro industry. The project includes potato seed multiplication, poultry, poultry feed, and beef processing.

Even after reaching a great height, Sinha still starts his day at 7 in the morning and works till 9 at night. His first task, almost every day, is to contact his Hong Kong office and at night when he ends his work, he contacts his US office to keep himself updated about the latest development in the global textile and clothing trade.

He goes to office at 9am and the first thing he looks for is the overall production status of his factories. "By the time I reach my office the overall production status and financial statement of the other day is ready on my table. I made it mandatory so that I can be aware of every little detail," Sinha said.

Sinha as the chairman of Opex has received the annual National Export Gold Trophy for five consecutive years since 1996. For good performance, quality control, and reliable supply record Opex also received awards from its buyers like Sears, Levi's, and Mervyns.

Sinha is a different breed of entrepreneur. He loves to dream and make that dream come true. He is very much a down to earth man, who feels for his fellow man. He has set up a high school at Kanchpur, Narayanganj serving the wards of workers and local people. The current enrolment is over 700. A night school has also been set up to serve senior citizens of the community. The infrastructure facilities of a college at Kanchpur have been completed and the session will start from March 2002. A full-fledged 100-bed hospital at Kanchpur, to be run by a team of professional medical staff, is rapidly nearing completion to serve people of the locality. There are many such projects in planning stages that include a residential school cum college on the outskirts of Dhaka and a specialised hospital with all sorts of modern facilities.

A successful entrepreneur, Sinha also showed his quality as a business leader. He was the BGMEA president for the period 1998-2000. He is also president of Eastern Sporting Club, Narayanganj.

One has to live with globalisation whether one likes it or not, Sinha thinks, but he also has his own views on the most "controversial" issues. "Globalisation should not be a one-way street. It should benefit all the nations and to be precise should pave the way for a better share of global trade for the poor nations," Sinha said.

 

Samson H Chowdhury - 2000

Samson Chowdhury, Chairman of Square Group, is totally a self-made man. Born on February 25, 1926, he completed Senior Cambridge and then management training course jointly sponsored and conducted by the Dhaka University and the Harvard University School.

He along with his four friends set up Square Pharmaceuticals in 1958 at Pabna. The first proprietary medicine was introduced the following year under the name EASTON'S syrup.

It was a small factory with a few thousand-taka investment. Today, the plant's annual sales cross Tk 300 crore. The small plant used to produce a cough syrup.

Square was built on Samson's toil who used to go to his factory, on a 12-mile bus ride.

It was solely through his own vision and efforts that Square has achieved a number of milestones in the country's pharmaceutical industry. It was the first to manufacture and market Metronidazole, Ampicillin, and Cotrimoxazole after the expiry of patents. It also pioneered in exporting antibiotics and other ethical drugs overseas.

Square was also the first to achieve an all-time industry high record sales turnover of USD 25 million. Because of his continuous effort to improve and his colleagues all-out support, Square Pharmaceutical continues to maintain its market leadership for 12 years at a stretch.

Samson's vision is to turn Square into the biggest conglomerate of the country which would be both a labour intensive and capital-intensive company.

With this vision in mind, Samson Chowdhury has gathered a group of high-quality managers whom he treats as family members. Samson also maintains a very close relationship with the employees and despite having a huge workforce. Square never faced any labour trouble because of his amicable way of settling issues.

Samson also had a direct contribution towards the Liberation War. He used to supply medicines from his plant to freedom fighters. He was later targeted by the Pakistan army and fled home for a freedom fighters' camp when the army came to pick him up.

It was Samson Chowdhury who took up the bold decision of going for a huge investment in the pharmaceutical plant to get USFDA for export and also to diversify into cosmetics and textiles sectors.

He served the Baptist World Alliance as vice-president for five years since 1985. He is a life member of Bangladesh Bible Society.