Nepals first billionaire Binod K Chaudhary on Friday called upon the businessmen of South Asia, particularly of smaller countries, to bring the economy at the centre stage of politics.
We all have to work together not only in businesses, but also, perhaps, through participation in politics in our own way as everything revolves around politics with economies at the centre stages, he said at a reception accorded in his honour in Dhaka on Friday night.

In March, US business magazine Forbes announced Binod Chaudhary, president and chief executive officer of Chaudhary Group as the first billionaire of Nepal.

The International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh organised the reception for his recognition by Forbes.

We have to bring economy at the centre stage of politics. If that doesnt happen, we will continue to struggle ….our opportunities and our resources will remain unexploited, he said.
Explaining his 20-year relationship with Bangladesh that began with the formation of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1994, Binod, 1,342th billionaire of the world, described Bangladesh as his second home.

Admiring the idea of social business introduced by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, he said that the concept of social business left a long lasting impact in his mind in terms of to-do-something for the society without expecting any returns or dividends.

The group signed an agreement with the Yunus Centre to start social business in Nepal, he said.
Introducing Binod to eminent personalities attended in the programme, ICC, Bangladesh president Mahbubur Rahman said his grandfather Bhuramull Chaudhary was a small trader back in 1933 from where, now the group owned nearly 45 companies, diversifying its businesses into banking, food, real estate, hotel, power, electronics, construction and many other sectors.
The group, however, is familiar for its Wai Wai brand of instant noodles.

Binod, 57, who was also an elected member of the Constituent Assembly and Parliament of Nepal from 2008 to 2012, built much of his estimated $1 billion fortune overseas through his Singapore-based arm Cinnovation.

Binod hails from a business clan with Indian roots. His grandfather Bhuramull Chaudhary, a textile trader from Rajasthan, migrated to Nepal. He opened a small textile store that used to supply goods to the erstwhile rulers. Chaudharys father, Lunkaran Das, converted that into Arun Emporium, Nepals first departmental store. The eldest of 3 siblings, Chaudhary joined the business at age 18, giving up his plan to study accounting in India when his father developed a heart ailment.

Prime ministers international affairs adviser Gawher Rizvi, BRAC chairman Fazle Hasan Abed, ICC, Bangladesh vice-president Latifur Rahman, Centre for Policy Dialogues distinguished fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya, senior Supreme Court lawyer Rafiq-ul Huq, FBCCI former presidents Abdul Awal Mintu and Annisul Huq, Bangladesh Employers Federation president M Fazlul Haque, BGMEA former president Anwar-Ul Alam Chowdhury Parvez, and diplomats from different countries were present at the reception.