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The Daily Star recognise one businessperson, two companies
From left, Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star; MA Jabbar, managing director of DBL Group; Kamal Quadir, founder and CEO of bKash Ltd; MA Mannan, planning minister; Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, chairman and CEO of PRAN-RFL Group; Miarul Haque, country manager of DHL Express; and RS Subramanian, managing director of DHL Express India, pose for a photograph at the 20th Bangladesh Business Awards ceremony at the capital’s Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel last night. Photo: Star
A business group with global footprints, an intrepid entrepreneur and a game-changing financial institution were felicitated with the Bangladesh Business Awards for their exemplary contribution to the economy.
MA Jabbar, managing director of DBL Group, was the Business Person of the Year, Pran-RFL Group the Enterprise of the Year and leading mobile financial service provider bKash the Best Financial Institution in the 20th edition of the award introduced by DHL Express and The Daily Star.
Planning Minister MA Mannan handed over the trophies to the winners at a gala event at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in the presence of RS Subramanian, managing director of DHL Express India; Md Miarul Haque, MD of DHL Express Bangladesh, and Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star.
MA Jabbar, managing director of DBL Group receiving award from Planning Minister MA Mannan at the 20th Bangladesh Business Awards ceremony at the capital’s Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel last night. Photo: Star.
Mannan said Bangladesh should be a trillion-dollar economy by 2041 or even earlier and the government has the ambition to establish a sustainable, civilised and scientifically-oriented modern society.
"Because of the hard-working people, our fortune has changed. But we are not there yet -- we can't be complacent."
The government is gunning to become a developed country by 2041 and an upper-middle-income country by 2041, he said at the event styled "Bridge to Prosperity - Connecting Beyond Borders".
Mannan went on to assure the business community of the government's constant support so that they can leverage their strength to the hilt and help the country reach its full potential along the way.
Kamal Quadir, founder and CEO of bKash Ltd receiving award from Planning Minister MA Mannan at the 20th Bangladesh Business Awards ceremony at the capital’s Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel last night. Photo: Star.
"We are a business-friendly government," he added.
Subramanian underscored the need to sustain Bangladesh's commendable growth momentum through cross-border collaboration, particularly through business-to-business e-commerce, or B2B.
"B2B is no longer considered the underdog of e-commerce. In fact, corporate customers prioritise suppliers and partners that allow them to trade online without first speaking with a sales representative."
By 2025, 80 percent of all B2B sales interactions between suppliers and professional buyers would occur online, he said, citing a study.
"So, none of us have the option to ignore the disruptive change that is taking place all around us."
"We want to work with the private sector hand in hand to create better workplaces for workers and create more jobs for people."
To tap into the tremendous opportunities awaiting in the era of e-commerce, digitalisation, globalisation and sustainability, business leaders, entrepreneurs, industry experts and legislators must make a deliberate and concerted effort toward building the right environment for local businesses to thrive in a competitive world.
"As we know, countries that can implement regulatory reforms more quickly and create favourable policies that encourage cross-border trade will stand to gain the most," he added.
Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, chairman and CEO of PRAN-RFL Group receiving award from Planning Minister MA Mannan at the 20th Bangladesh Business Awards ceremony at the capital’s Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel last night. Photo: Star.
Behind the Bangladesh economy's spectacular figures of the past two decades are innovators, industrious working class, ingenious entrepreneurs and certain government policies, Anam said.
However, to level up, the weakness in the whole governance system needs to be corrected.
"The key to a successful improvement in the governance system is a provision of accountability. Power, by itself, is a dangerous commodity. But power with checks and balance is a brilliant instrument of moving forward."
He suggested a thorough reform of the legal structure in keeping with the progression of the economy.
For the private sector to grow, there has to be a transformational change to the tax system as well, Anam added.
Pran-RFL Group is working towards the industrialisation of Bangladesh, said Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, its chairman and chief executive officer.
"We are feeling encouraged. We will accelerate our work so that Bangladesh marches ahead. We will take Bangladesh forward," he added.
Jabbar described winning the award as "absolutely amazing". "And definitely it will encourage us to do more," he said.
After 50 years of independence, Bangladesh is making a giant leap towards prosperity with inclusive growth, said Kamal Quadir, founder and CEO of bKash.
"Keeping up with this pace, in just over a decade, bKash has relentlessly worked to bring unbanked and underbanked people into the formal financial sector under the regulations of Bangladesh Bank from the very beginning, which reflected the government's vision."
The recognition from the DHL-The Daily Star is a validation of the MFS provider's steadfast journey.
"It has not been a sprint, but a marathon with corporate discipline, compliant practices and customer-centric focus," Quadir added.
At the event, Ayman Sadiq, founder and CEO of 10 Minute School, and Shahir Chowdhury, co-founder and CEO of Shikho, both educational technology start-ups, were honoured as youth icons.
Sadiq shared a number of stories about how 10 Minute School and its largely free educational contents are changing the lives of students, including the underprivileged, from across the country by helping them get into the best universities in Bangladesh.
"It's crucial to provide opportunity to the people who are left behind."
Chowdhury also talked about the changing landscape in the education sector and how digitalisation is shaping it.
"Digitalisation in the educational sector has been taking place for many years. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the pace," he said, adding that e-learning is crucial to bridge the skill gap and making education accessible.
Mannan also gave away the trophies to the winners of the 19th edition of the Awards, which took place virtually in December 2020 for the global coronavirus pandemic.
As our economy continues to thrive and our middle class continues to grow, education and skills will be the most important factor for upward social mobility.
Abdul Muktadir, chairman and managing director of Incepta Pharmaceuticals, was the Business Person of the Year, while Rupali Chowdhury, managing director of Berger Paints Bangladesh, was the Outstanding Woman in Business.
Dutch-Bangla Bank was the Best Financial Institution and Snowtex the Business Enterprise of the Year.
Muktadir and SM Khaled, managing director of Snowtex, received the crests.
Li Jiming, Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh; Vikram K Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh; Mahbubur Rahman, president of the International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh; Syed Alamgir, managing director and CEO of Akij Ventures; Nasir Ahmad Choudhury, adviser and founding managing director of Green Delta Insurance; Golam Mainuddin, chairman of British American Tobacco Bangladesh; Naser Ezaz Bijoy, CEO of Standard Chartered Bangladesh; Syed Mahbubur Rahman, managing director and CEO of Mutual Trust Bank; Md Kyser Hamid, managing director and CEO of Bangladesh Finance and Investment; Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation; Syed Mohammad Kamal, country manager of MasterCard; and Sabiha Amjad and Uzma Chowdhury, directors of Pran-RFL Group, were present on the occasion.