Nation loses 3 top industrialists in a year

Anwar Hossain, MA Hashem and Deen Mohammad, three pioneering industrialists in Bangladesh died of Covid-19 between December 2020 and December 2021. They dreamt about business during the pre-independence time when most Bangalees could not think of doing anything but jobs. But they dared enough to take the risk and set up a number of pioneering industries in a newly-born nation.

Though the paths they have shown are now shouldered by the second generations, the vacuum created for their deaths are irreparable. They learnt business by themselves, they made money by hard work and they established themselves as icons with their commitment and integrity. The Business Insider Bangladesh has taken this humble initiative to remember those brave souls.

Here is what we know about these icons:

Anwar Hossain

Alhaj Anwar Hossain was the founder chairman of Anwar Group of Industries. He died on August 17, 2021 while undergoing treatment at Labaid Hospital.

Hossain was born in 1938 and he started his business in 1953. He was one of the oldest entrepreneurs in the country. Many people know him as Anwar Hossain of Mala Saree. Starting from scratch, now Anwar Group of Industries is one of the top industrial conglomerates in the country.

He had employed about 14,000 people. In 1968, he established erstwhile East Pakistan’s large factory, Anwar Silk Mills.

There are about 26 institutions including textile, jute, cement, steel, housing, polymer, furniture, automobile, bank, and financial institutions under the group.

Hossain was the chairman of the City Bank established in 1983, for four terms. He was also one of the founders of Bangladesh Finance Ltd and City General Insurance Company.

His eldest son Monwar Hossain is the chairman and managing director of the Anwar Group. Besides, Hossain Mahmood is in charge of the textile division and Hossain Khaled is in charge of the jute, automobiles and real estate of the group.

MA Hashem

Hashem was born in 1943 in Noakhali’s Begumganj. He started his business career with tobacco trading in 1960s and in the early 1970s, he set up M/S. Hashem Corporation (Pvt) Ltd with its headquarters in Chattogram.

After the independence of the country in 1971 he started importing commodities, such as steel, cement, sugar, rice, wheat and some others. In 1982, Hashem set up a mill to manufacture and import substitute particle boards.

When he died on December 24, 2020, Partex has a number of industries – from particle boards to financial institutions, furniture, plastics, cotton, yarn, textile, shipping, agro, to food and beverages. He also made the drinking water brand ‘Mum’ almost a household name in Bangladesh.

He was also one of the founders of City Bank and United Commercial Bank, two first generation lenders in the country. He also sponsored insurance companies.

And he also succeeded in popularising a number of Partex products, being one of them.

Hashem was elected MP from Noakhali-2 constituency from BNP in 2001 general elections. But he quit politics in December 2016, saying that it was hindering his business and social activities.

Deen Mohammad

Deen Mohammad was a prominent industrialist who founded Phoenix Group. He passed away on April 27, 2021 at the age of 83.

Now the group is involved in different businesses with more than 20 industrial units. Phoenix has exposure in garments and textile to bank, insurance, dyeing, leasing, leather and some other areas.

He also founded Apollo Ispat, a leading steel maker in the country.

Phoenix Group’s Corporate Office is situated at Ganakbari in Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Its first business concern is Phoenix Cotton Products Ltd. Since 1983, Phoenix Group has been involved in export-oriented readymade garments manufacturing business. The slogan of this group is “A Name Built Over The Years”.

Mohammad was also active in many socio-cultural organisations. He was a former president of Lalbagh Sporting Club and Rahmatganj Sporting Club.