Business Tycoon Salman F Rahman to remain Sheikh Hasina’s Adviser

Salman F Rahman, the vice chairman of Beximco Group, was informed about his appointment on Sunday in a letter signed by the ruling party’s general secretary Obaidul Quader.

The ruling party, Awami League, wants Salman F Rahman to continue using his ‘energy, wisdom and merits’ for the development of private sector.

Salman, who lead the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) from 1994 to 1996, introduced himself in politics in the mid 1990s.

Earlier he had founded a political party ‘Samriddhya Bangladesh Andolan’ but later became a part of the Awami League.

After the Awami League came to power in 2009, Salman F Rahman was made the private sector development adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Most experts welcomed this decision because Salman is a well known business magnate who played a crucial role in building Beximco Group, one of the biggest corporate houses in Bangladesh.

Salman F Rahman and his elder brother Sohail Rahman initiated their business in 1966 with an inherited jute mill. They started the Bangladesh Export Import Company (Beximco) following the nationalization of the jute mill after Bangladesh’s liberation from Pakistan in 1971.

Under the leadership of Salman, Beximco began trading in medicines. The company is currently the country’s biggest business group that employs more than 55,000 people.

The business house has its involvement in pharmaceuticals, ceramics, textiles, real estate, energy, trading, media and ICT, financial services, construction and engineering. Products of Beximco are exported to 43 countries.

Currently Salman F Rahman is chairman of the IFIC Bank. He also owns English daily ‘The Independent’ and Independent Television.

The businessman, besides heading the FBCCI, also presided over SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, top sports organization Abahani Limited and Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries. Not to forget that this man had also been a member of the board of directors at Dhaka Stock Exchange.

It seems like the job of developing Bangladesh’s private sector is in very capable hands.