Outstanding Woman in Business

Qamrun Nahar Zahir, Chairperson Ananta Apparels Ltd

Qamrun Nahar Zahir was a teacher, but her husband’s untimely death brought her into the unknown world of business in 1993.

Her husband passed away at the age of 42, leaving behind four minor children and a nascent garment business named Ananta Apparels. With her back against the wall, she resolved to take control of the situation -- and even prevailed.

In 1993, when she took over, her factory made exports worth about a few million dollars. Last year, its export receipts were about $300 million.

Today, Ananta Apparels employs about 28,000 people and supplies products to all household clothing brands in the world.

Under the leadership of Qamrun Nahar, Ananta Apparels has been awarded the International President Leadership Award 2016-17 from Lions Club International, Best Exporter Award for 2017 along with the top three export awards in Bangladesh in the last five years.

The company plans to go for a $60 million investment for activewear production along with establishing a 750,000sqft factory in Narsingdi.

Ananta Apparels with collaborative partners, including German Investment Corporation DEG, the International Finance Corporation, Dutch Development Bank FMO and Standard Chartered, achieved an annual sales growth rate of 23.34 percent last year.

As part of its social responsibilities, Ananta Apparels has so far planted more than 500,000 trees and gives out Tk 35 lakh as scholarships among students at the secondary level of education in Noakhali every year.

Qamrun Nahar completed her honours in biochemistry from Karachi University in 1971 and obtained her master’s degree after returning to Dhaka in 1972.

She established Dhaka Mohila College and has been supporting education in many charitable schools personally as well.

Qamrun Nahar has now stepped back from the day-to-day running of the business, leaving it to the capable hands of her two sons who were educated in the US.