Board of Directors

Mr. Khalilur Rahman

Chairman

Mr. Khalilur Rahman was born on 10 April, 1945 in Chittagong. His father was Late Alhaj Abul Khair and mother was Late Al-Haj Fatema Begum. He is a Bachelor of Science in Management and a renowned industrialist and Commercially Important Person (CIP). He has got a wide range of work involvement at home and abroad .He has business links with USA, Canada, Europe, Scandinavian Countries, Japan, South Asian Sub-Continent, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, China, Germany, South Africa, Vietnam, Liberia, Fareast and Middle East.

He is the founder Chairman of Southern University Bangladesh and President of Khalilur Rahman Mohila College, Khalil Mir Degree  College,  Khalilur Rahman  Girls’  High  School,  Ziri Khalil Mir Adarsh High School, Kartala Belkhain Mohabodhi High School, Khalilur Rahman Shishu Niketon (Kinder Garten), Khalilur Rahman Cultural Academy, Saberia Khalilia Senior Madrasha, Shaindair Gouchiya Tayoubia Delwara Begum Sunnia Alim Madrasha, Shaindair Al-Haji Abul Khair Sunnia Senior Madrasha and also member of the Governing body of S. A. Noor High School, Hulain Saleh Noor College and Mafizur Rahman Girls’ High School.

He is the Group Chairman of KDS. The concerns of KDS are - KDS Garment Industries Ltd., KDS Fashion Ltd, KDS IDR Ltd, Canvas Garments (PVT) Ltd, KDS Apparels Ltd, KDS Textiles Mills Ltd, KDS Logistic Ltd (Container Yard), KDS Washing Plant, KDS Poly Industries Ltd, KDS Accessories Ltd, KDS Thread Ltd, KYCR Galvalume, KY Steel Mills Ltd., KYCR Coil Industries Ltd., KIY Steel Accessories Ltd, Rahman & Co.

He is the Founder President of Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Patiya Samity at Chittagong City, Chairman of Bangladesh CR Coil Manufacturer & Exporters Association and Pragati Life Insurance Ltd., Ex-Chairman of Bangladesh Red-crescent Society (Chittagong district unit), Ex-1stVice President & Director of BGMEA & Vice President of Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association (BICDA). He is the running Director of Pragati Insurance Ltd. and National Bank Ltd. He is a Sponsor Share holder of Northern General Insurance Ltd. and Al-Arafah Islami Bank Ltd. He is the Life Member of Bhatiary Golf and Country Club, Chittagong Boat Club, Chittagong Club Ltd., Chittagong Metropolitan Lions Club, Chittagong Press Club, Chittagong Institute Ltd. (Senior’s Club), Chittagong Maa & Shishu Hospital, Ziri Zanakollan Trust & International Business Forum of Bangladesh. He is the Executive Member of Bangladesh CI Sheet and GP Sheet Association.

As an Industrialist, Businessman and Entrepreneur, he achieved a good numbers of awards in different categories. He achieved National Export Trophy for High Export of Ready Made Garments in the years1985-1986,1987-1988, 1989-1990, 1990-1991,1991-1992, 1994-1995, 1995-1996, 1996-1997, 2003-2004, 2005-2006, and 2009-2010. Received Gold Medal/Crests Recognition of Quality and Quality Garments Exporter of AMC, TARGET, USA in the years 1998,1999,2001and2002; Golden Trophy For Quality In Ready Made Garments from Madrid 1992, Spain. Kmart Corporation Award; International Gold Star For Quality, International Recognition of Efficiency from Business Initiative Directions, Texas, USA, USA-Strategic Partner of Target Corporation; Outstanding Performance Award 2000; Award from Trade Leader Club, Spain–5 Times; Target Corporation Award; Gold Medal Crest For Export-1990-1991 and 1999-2000; Received Charming Shops Inc. USA 2004; Vendor Excellence Award 2000 from TARGET; Vendor Award 2005 from TARGET For Delivery High Quality Products,  International Supplier of the Year 2004, 2005, 2009 & 2010 Award from Wal-Mart Canada and Wal-Mart UK George. Received Batexpo Award–1999 and 2000; Cafaxpo Award-2009; Top Clint Trophy from Agrabad Hotel-1998; Best Wishes Trophy from Agrani Bank Ltd.-2000; Business Award from Mercantile Bank -2011; Business Award from Janata Bank Ltd., Business Award from Jamuna Bank Ltd., Awarded from Lions Club International; Certificate of Excellence is Awarded to KDS Group from Pragati Insurance Ltd., Performance Award from Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd., “VijayaShree”- An International “Buddhist Award”-2009; Golden Award from UNESCO Academic Development Project and Mother Teresa Human rights Gold Award 2014 by Bangladesh Information & Human rights Foundation on 01/09/2014, “Ekushey Padak 2015” from Chittagong City Corporation for Contribution in Trade & Industry. Group Data in brief- Nearly Forty five thousand employees ranging from senior most executives to work forces are in the pay-roll of the Group.

Syed M. Altaf Hussain

Director

Syed M. Altaf Hussain, son of Syed M. Wares Ali was born in a respectable Muslim family in 1954. He has involved in Trade, Commerce, Agri-Business and Industries since the beginning of his career in 1978. He graduated from UTA (Texas), USA with focus on Agribusiness. Currently he is the Chief Executive Officer of W&W Grains Corp. representing Cargill Inc., USA & The Mosaic Company in Bangladesh, the world’s largest privately held Company W&W Grains and Cargill inc. of United States joined their hands together to deliver highest quantity of Agricultural produce mainly food grains and crop nutrition to Bangladesh. Mr. Altaf was associated with Agro-based Industries & Technology Development Project (ATDP-II), sponsored and funded by USAID, as advisor of the project on behalf of Cargill Technical Services Inc. USA. He has played a great role in the process of agricultural growth in Bangladesh. He attended a short course on agribusiness in Harvard University, USA. Presently he is the Chairman of United Petro-Chemical Ltd., Sonic Allied Industries Ltd., WW Avion Tours & Travels Ltd. and also the Chairman of editorial board of the Daily Janata, a national daily news paper. He is also Chairman of Pragati Insurance Ltd. and founder Chairman & Director of Pragati Life Insurance Ltd. where he is also the Member and convener of the Directors’ Finance Committee of Pragati Life Insurance Ltd. & Co-Chairman & Director of Jamuna Resort Ltd. Mr. Altaf is an extensively traveled person. He visited many countries across the like world North America, Europe, Australia, and Eastern Europe & Asia. He has earned name and fame in business community for his honesty, integrity, dedication, hardworking, and high degree of sense of responsibility.

Mr. Mohammed A. Awwal

Director

Mr. Mohammed A. Awwal was born on 6th December 1945 in Noakhali. His father, late M. Khalilur Rahman was  a reputed business personality of the then Pakistan. Mr Awwal Graduated from Govt. College of Commerce, Chittagong and obtained Masters Degree in Management (M.Com) in 1967 from University of Dhaka. After the sad demise of his illustrious father in early 1977, he took over as the CEO of MKR Group with offices in Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna & other places of Bangladesh. The group was established during mid 1950s & later floated as Private Limited Company with name & style as Associated Traders & Mariners & Bengal Shipping Line Ltd in early 1962. Mr Awwal have diversified his group of business in various sectors other than shipping. He was a sponsor Director of several public listed  organizations like;  National  Bank  Ltd.,  Pragati Insurance Ltd., Pragati Life Insurance Ltd., Dulamia Cotton &  Spinning Mills Ltd etc. He was an initial promoter of Chittagong Stock Exchange Ltd in its early year. He was also a Director of Padma Oil Co. Ltd. & Eastern Lubricants Ltd. Mr Awwal is involved in many professional and business bodies throughout Bangladesh and some overseas business bodies. The business bodies are; Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Chittagong & Dhaka, Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association, Bangladesh Master Stevedores Association and many others. Mr Awwal is a former Member of the Islamic Ship Owners Association based in Jeddah. He was also one of the early Member of the famous World Economic Forum-Geneva. Apart from these, Mr Awwal have promoted the establishment of President of Bangladesh Philippines Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BPCCI) & was its former President. He is also a Sponsor Director of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industry(MCCI), Chittagong.

He served as Governor, Rotary International District 3280 (whole of Bangladesh) during 1998-99. He has also served RI in various capacities in RI Zone 6B. He is a leading philanthropist and social worker especially in education and a senior member in  several leading Civil Society Institutions like Chittagong Club Ltd, Gulshan Club Ltd, Bhatiary Golf Club, Chittagong Boat Club, Chittagong Press Club & many more. Mr. Awwal is appointed as Honorary Consul of the Republic of Philippines in Chittagong since September 2010 which he is continuing. He has promoted as Consul General of the Republic of Philippines in Chittagong on January 2020.

Mr Awwal is happily married with Khaleda Adib Awwal who is also a distinguished community leader in her own right. She is the President of Chittagong Ladies Club & was the National Representative of Inner Wheel Bangladesh, during 2018-19. Mr Awwal is the proud father of two sons & two daughters who are all settled in their respective lives.

Mrs. Nelofer Kamal

Director

Mrs. Nelofer Kamal daughter of Md. Badiuzzaman was born in a renowned Muslim family in 1963.
She completed Graduation and Master Degree in Social Science from Chittagong University.

She is the wife of Mr. Mohammed Sarwar Kamal, a renowned businessman in Trading, Finance and other sectors.

Presently, she is one of the Directors of Mc. Donald Group engaged in Steel, Seeds, Polymer Agro and other businesses.

Mr. A. S. M. Mohiuddin Monem

Director

Mr.  A.S.M. Mohiuddin Monem is the Deputy Managing Director of Abdul Monem Group, Chairman of ServicEngine Ltd and the honorary consul of the Czech Republic in Bangladesh. Mr. Monem received his Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from North Eastern University, Boston, U.S.A in 1992 and a Master Degree in Engineering Management from the same institution in 1994, where he graduated with Honors with CUM LAUDE.

After the graduation, he joined AML and since then he has revolutionized the company. With his transformational capabilities and technological foresight, he applied modern management concepts to broaden the outreach of the businesses. Under his dynamic leadership the business process at AML have gained greater efficiency, which has been translated into unprecedented growth in Beverage, Ice-cream & Dairy, Food, Sugar and Construction units. He is the pioneer in setting up the first US Bangladesh joint venture BPO operation in IT sector, which has been featured in Fortune magazine as the only BPO Company from Bangladesh ranking within top 100 global BPO firms.

He was a private sector member in the national committee for industrial development headed by the honorable Prime Minister and he is also a Director of Pragati Life Insurance Limited and Pragati Insurance Limited. He is also a former Director of DCCI(Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries).

For his outstanding contribution in industrial development of Bangladesh, Mr. Monem has been awarded with ‘President’s Award for Industrial Develeopment-2014, 2016 and 2017’.Mr. Monem  also received the prestigious National Export Gold Trophy for five consecutive years from the Honorable Prime Minister for the extra-ordinary contribution of his company, ServicEngine Ltd. to the country’s export trade in Computer Software. Moreover, he has also been honored with CIP (Commercially Important Person) in consecutive seven years and Highest Tax Payer awards five years in a row.

Mr. Tabith M. Awal

Director

Mr. Tabith Awal has completed his higher education from the George Washington University in Washington D.C. USA and obtained combined degree in M.Sc in Information System Technology and BBA in Management in Management Information System. After the M.Sc he has fallen back to Bangladesh he was involved in various private sectors business like Trading, Textiles, Spinning & Textiles, Agro-industry, Livestock, Artificial Insemination, Manufacturer of Carbon Rod, Marketing-Distributions, Automobile Sales & Services, Oil and Gas Exploration, Insurance, Foods & Beverages, Hospitality, JV Recycling Industry, JV Manufacturing & Distribution Industry of PE Foam, telecommunications, IT, Banking etc.

Apart from being a successful entrepreneurship, Tabith’s passion for football is widely known and played in semi-professional football clubs both in home & abroad. He was elected as one of the youngest Vice Presidents of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) in 2012. He is also the Chairman of Tournaments Committee of BFF. He also owned a football club Feni Soccer Club and presently Tabith is the Chairman and Founder President of another football club NoFeL playing in the premier league under BFF.

Tabith in his early entrepreneurship received Gold Medals from the Govt. of (EPB) for outstanding results in exporting carbon rods in 2004. in the same year, he pioneered the first Wireless Communication Company along with the first ever Digital Money Transfer Platform named iPay. From the year 2005 he joined and contributed in the fields of innovative seed production, research & development in Lal Teer Seed Company Ltd., in 2011 he engaged himself in the back footed Livestock industry of Bangladesh and by 2014, Tabith has completed the Genome Sequencing of River Water Buffalo partnering with BGI. For his individual roles and active participation in Seed Industry he was elected as the Senior Vice President of Bangladesh Seed Association (BSA) for the 2017-2019 term.

Tabith’s exposure in leadership elected as Director of MCCI, Member of UN Global Compact Initiatives, South Asian Youth Business Forum, FBCCI, DCCI, CACCI and EC Member in BD CNG Filling Station & Conversion, Workshop Owner’s  Association, American Alumni Association etc.

Tabith is also a very common face in our television talk shows and a profound writer of articles on various common issues in our National Daily’s. Beside this, he has been a powerful candidate for the last 2 Mayoral Elections of DNCC.

Mr. Md. Shafiur Rahman

Director

Mr. Md. Shafiur Rahman, son of Mr. Md. Syedur Rahman Mintoo was born in a renowned muslim family. He has completed Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) from Birla Institute of Technology (MESRA), India and MBA from Clark University, USA. Presently he is the Deputy Managing Director and managing operation and marketing of Pro Star Group- a 100% export oriented garments manufacturers. Also, he is engaged in various business organizations established both with foreign collaboration and local ventures. He is the Member of IEB, Kurmitola Golf club and American Alumni Association. Besides, he is involved in various social welfare organizations like Charitable Dispensary, Orphanage, Vocational Training School, Primary Education etc.

Mr. Tafsir M. Awal

Director

Mr. Tafsir M. Awal, second son of Mr. Abdul Awal Mintoo and Mrs. Nasreen Fatema Awal. He was born in a renowned Muslim family in August 1981 in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. He graduated from Indiana University, Bloomington, USA in Telecommunications. He also obtained two Minors in Psychology and Marketing and also completed his Masters in Entrepreneurial Management from European Business School in London. Mr. Tafsir is currently engaged with their family business and holding the position of Director of the Multimode Group. He is highly ambitious and devoted to his work. He is currently engaged with the business in IT, FMCG, innovative and Research based Seed production, Processing, Packaging, Distribution and Export & Import sectors in Bangladesh. He also works hard to build a sustainable conglomerate for the benefits of the mass people and economy. Mr. Tafsir is one of the fore-runners in digitizing the agricultural development and advancement of IT to attain the Goals of SDGs in all required spheres in Bangladesh.

Mr. Mohammed Abdul Hamid

Director

Mr. Mohammed Abdul Hamid, son of Late Alhaj Mohammed Khalilur Rahman and Mrs. Saleha Khatun was born in January 1964. He completed his BS in Industrial and Management Technology from the Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas, USA in 1987 and Masters in Transportation and Management in 1991 from the same University. After that he worked in a leading commercial establishment in the USA in a managerial position.

In 1993 he joined their family business in the MKR Group. Mr. Hamid is now the Managing Director of Bentrans (Pvt.) Ltd., n IATA approved Logistics Company involved in Air & Sea freight operations and Warehouse facilities. Besides that he is a Director of Bengal Shipping Line Ltd., Pacific Oil Manufacturing Ltd. and CEO of MKR Aviation Services. He is also involved with some social organization and a member of the Kurmitola Golf Club.

Mrs. Nigar Jahan Chowdhury

Director

Mrs. Nigar Jahan Chowdhury was born in a renowned Muslim family in Cumilla. She started her career in 1974 in teaching profession and successfully completed Training on Teaching. She got married with Al-haj Younus Chowdhury a renowned businessman from Chittagong in 1975, and left teaching profession. She traveled with her husband to London, America, Dubai, Hongkong, Mexico and other countries for business expansion. Presently she is Chairman of Caesar Apparels Ltd., KZM Apparels Ltd. and an active member of the Advisory Committee of Islamic Library and engages herself in various social welfare organizations. She is a loving mother of child. She is known as honest, amiable, amicable, affectionate, kind-hearted and compassionate person.

Mr. Suhel Ahmed Choudhury

Independent Director

Mr. Suhel Ahmed Choudhury son of M.R. Choudhury and Fahima Khatun was born in May 1946. He completed Masters of Arts in Political Science from the University of Dhaka, 1967.

Mr. Choudhury, Ex-Commerce Secretary of Bangladesh, from March 200l to May 2004. Retired from government service on 27 May, 2004. Ex-Chairman Janata Bank 2007-2010.

As Commerce Secretary he dealt with important trade and commerce related issues, world trade issues including Multilateral Trade Negotiations:

(i) Helped formulation of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) position with regards to UNLDC Conference in Brussels (May -2001) and WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha (November-2001) and Cancun (September-2003).

(ii) Had overall responsibility for organizing 2nd LDC Trade Ministers Meeting in Dhaka (31st May- 2nd June, 2003) which adopted the Dhaka Declaration.

He was responsible for the overall export development of the country, some of which are as follows :

(a) Finalizing regional and bilateral trade policy issues including, Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) such as SAFTA, BIMSTEC and APTA (Bangkok Agreement) and bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Indonesia, Sri Lanka etc.

(b) Supervised the Bangladesh Export Development project financed by the World Bank (WB) and GoB. As the Chair of the Steering Committee of the $49 million project, implementation, monitoring and supervision were the prime responsibilities.

Earlier as the Secretary, Ministry of Shipping, chaired several meetings with the German and Netherlands teams for financing development projects of the Chittagong and Mongla sea ports.

Prior to this, he was the DG of NGO Affairs Bureau, dealing with coordination of NGO activities in Bangladesh. NGOs were encouraged to reduce administrative costs. Simultaneously, he served as Member Secretary of the Government NGO Consultative Council (GNCC).

Attended the following training courses and seminar:

(i) Training course organized by the USDA Graduate School in Washington (February 1994-March, 1994) on Financial Engineering.

(ii) Attended program organized by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in 1978 in New Zealand.

(iii) Seminars organized by Singapore Cooperation Program in Singapore and ITC, Geneva in 2003.

(iv) Between 1981s to 2001, attended several seminars/workshop on Rural Poverty Alleviation, Rural Development, NGO Coordination, Global Environment Facility, GSP, Export Promotion etc.