Leaving behind a flourishing corporate career to dive headfirst into the uncertain waters of entrepreneurship is not a path many dare to tread.

While the country’s financial sector is passing through a challenging period with more than a dozen banks with weak financials, City Bank has emerged not only as one of the top lenders but also as a pioneer of financial technology.

Children of the 1990s can relate to the fact that many of them used to rush to their neighbour’s house to watch their preferred television programmes, as televisions were not available in most homes.

Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, chairman and CEO of Pran-RFL Group, has been named the recipient of this year’s Business Person of the Year, one of the most prestigious accolades presented at the Bangladesh Business Awards.

Bangladesh’s businesses have showcased remarkable dynamism in expanding their reach beyond national borders, said Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed.

The growth story of Bangladesh is often described through rising graphs and GDP figures. Yet the real narrative lies in the journeys of entrepreneurs, executives and founders who have steered the country from poverty to an economy worth nearly $460 billion.

​​​​​​​In an era when the lines between business and politics often blur, M Anis Ud Dowla, one of the most respected names in Bangladesh’s corporate history, offers a sharp counterpoint. The chairman of Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) Ltd believes the two should remain firmly apart, and his own career stands as an argument for why.

Bangladesh’s private sector must respond to change with agility, innovation, and collaboration to remain competitive in a rapidly shifting global economy, said Md Miarul Haque, managing director of DHL Express Bangladesh.

The story of Bangladesh is often told through impressive growth charts that portray the nation as an emerging economic force. However, behind these macroeconomic statistics are the people who have fuelled this transformation -- the entrepreneurs whose ambition has lifted a nation from poverty to an economic contender.

M Anis Ud Dowla, chairman of  Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) Group, has received this year’s Business Excellence Award – Lifetime Achievement for his transformative role in shaping Bangladesh’s industrial sector at the 23rd Daily Star-DHL Business Awards.

The finance adviser urged the private sector to take a leading role in job creation and global expansion

'We must forge a new partnership -- one that has eluded us for the last 53 years,' says The Daily Star editor

The DHL Bangladesh managing director shares his thoughts at the Bangladesh Business Awards

The ceremony begins

The Daily Star and DHL fondly remember the distinguished winners of previous years

The 23rd edition of the show is taking place at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel, Dhaka

Powering the Private Sector

Kihak Sung, chairman of Youngone Corporation and a pioneer in Bangladesh’s readymade garments (RMG) and textile sectors, has been instrumental in the country’s rise as a major global exporter.

Her dream was to enrol in Chattogram University or another reputed institution, but she could not even sit for the admission test as her father fell ill in 1994.

While more than a dozen banks in Bangladesh are struggling to stay afloat, Pubali Bank, which has emerged as one of the leading private commercial lenders, stands as a glowing example of how to traverse difficult times.