Business leaders and experts on Saturday called on young entrepreneurs to follow three successful late businessmen — Samson H Chowdhury, Syed Humayun Kabir and Amjad Khan Chowdhury — to reach their goals in entrepreneurship. At a memorial meeting in honour of the three deceased industrialists, speakers termed them a role model in ethical practices in business and said the government should recognize their contribution to the economy through job creation, industrialisation and trade. The Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised the meeting at the chamber building to pay tribute to its past presidents—Samson, Kabir and Amjad. Square Group chairman Samson H Chowdhury died on January 5, 2012 while Renata Ltd chairman SH Kabir died on July 7 and PRAN-RFL group founder and chief executive officer passed away on July 8 this year. Apex Group chairman, also former president of the MCCI, Syed Manzur Elahi said these three entrepreneurs should be evaluated on their sense of values and be treated as a role model in business. People now want to make money at any cost and money has become a tool of measuring success, wherein the way the money earned is not important, he said. This is the worst thing happening in the country in the absence of role models in ethical practices, he said, adding that the three industrialists practices values and ethics in business. Former president of the chamber Latifur Rahman said that Samson H Chowdhury, who started his business with a small venture, eventually became a giant industrialist in the country following values and ethics in business, good manufacturing practices and ensuring quality of products. Kabir also had very clear sense of high standards of professionalism, business values and ethical practices, and he never compromised with these issues, he said. ACI Limited chairman, also former president of the MCCI, Anis Ud Dowla said the society was benefited by their contribution in employment generation, poverty reduction and industrialisation. He said Amjad created his businesses to help rural people and to see a prosperous rural Bangladesh. Former MCCI president Mahbub Jamil said the life sketch of the three pioneer industrialists should be included in text books so that future entrepreneurs can learn from their life. BEXIMCO Group vice-chairman Salman F Rahman termed the three businessmen outstanding business icons in the country. Barrister Rafiqul Haque said the government should recognise their contributions to the country’s economy and development by providing state awards like Ekushey and Swadhinata Padak. Centre for Policy Dialogue distinguished fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya said the three industrialists were pioneers of industrial diversification in the country, stepping out of readymade garment products. At the meeting, the MCCI handed over three portraits of the deceased past presidents of the leading trade body to their family members. Square Consumer Products Limited managing director Anjan Chowdhury, son of Samson H Chowdhury, Renata Ltd managing director Syed S Kaiser Kabir, son of SH Kabir, and PRAN-RFL Group deputy managing director Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, son Amjad Khan Chowdhury, received the portraits and spoke at the meeting. Former MCCI president Laila Rahman Kabir, MCCI founding secretary general CK Hyder, Bangladesh Enterprise Institute president Farooq Sobhan, among others, spoke at the meeting moderated by MCCI president Syed Nasim Manzur.
