Pioneer of bottled drinking water in Bangladesh MA Hashem dies

Country’s prominent industrialist and Partex Group Chairman MA Hashem passed away while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dhaka early Thursday. He was 78.

The founder chairman of Partex Group breathed his last at Evercare Hospital around 1:20am, family sources said.

He was admitted to the hospital due to old age complications and coronavirus infection on December 11, and he was put on life support on December 16, as his condition deteriorated alarmingly.

Hashem joined BNP before 2001 national election and was elected as lawmaker of the parliament from Noakhali-2 constituency.

He set up a number of industries, including Bangladesh’s first bottled water - Mum.

He was also the founding director of the country’s two first generation financial institutions - City and United Commercial Banks.

He left behind wife, five sons and host of relatives and admires to mourn his death.

The first namaz-e-janaza of the industrialist will be held at Gulshan Azad Mosque after Jumma prayer tomorrow.      

Born in 1943 at Begumganj upazila in Noakhali, MA Hashem started tobacco business in 1959 and established M/S Heshem Corporation (Pvt) Ltd in Chittagong in 1970.