Not many occasions can bring together so many business icons, corporate executives, academics and civil society members than did last nights business awards ceremony organised by The Daily Star and DHL Express.

It was a triumphant night that recognised the most successful businesspeople and companies in the country.

The Daily Star, the countrys most-read English newspaper, and DHL Express, the worlds leading logistics company, jointly honoured the best companies and individuals who have shown the greatest flair and integrity in running businesses over the years.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith handed out the 12th Bangladesh Business Awards, regarded as the premier business award in the country, to six winners, including one posthumously, at a glittering gala event at Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka last night. A special award went to Latifur Rahman, chairman of Transcom Group.

The Best Enterprise of the Year award for 2011 went to Advanced Chemical Industries, popularly known as ACI, which champions the quality of its products.

M Anis Ud Dowla, chairman of the group, received the award on behalf of the company.

“Our company has come this far as we — from the very beginning — have focused on making our employees more productive,” he said in his instant reaction.

The posthumous Lifetime Contribution Award went to MA Samad for his contribution to the insurance industry. His Bangladesh General Insurance Company Ltd is the countrys first private sector insurance company.

Towhid Samad, chairman of the company, received the award on behalf of his father. “I really think that he is present here,” an emotional Samad said.

He thanked the organisers for awarding his father.
Prime Bank Ltd, one of the fastest growing private commercial banks in the country, scooped the award in the financial institution category.

Accepting the award, Ehsan Khasru, managing director of the bank, said his bank was one of the top banks of the country for its “customer-first” focus and creating excellence within the company.

Thriving entrepreneur Sharmin Hossain picked up the Outstanding Woman in Business award, as she rose to a greater height of success by launching Fresh and Safe Agro Ltd, which sells fresh vegetables and fruits at a time when chemically-treated and spurious food items abound.

The aspiring agriculturist said the government should provide funds if any woman entrepreneur comes up with any innovative ideas.

“Also, banks should come up with more investment aimed at women entrepreneurs,” she said.
At last nights award ceremony, Anwar Hossain, chairman of Anwar Group of Industries, won the “Business Person of the Year” laurels as the septuagenarian tirelessly continues to turn a nearly 200-year-old comb-making family business into a business empire that now employs 14,000 people.

“I am not happy with the workforce of 14,000 people. I want to make it 50,000,” he said.
Hossain urged the government to improve infrastructure, ensure gas and power supply and maintain law and order. “We do not want money from the government. If the government can ensure infrastructure and stability, then nobody will be able to hold the country back.”

Business leader Mahbubur Rahman, president of International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work to protect the interest of the countrys businesses in numerous roles in national and international organisations over the last five decades.

The 70-year-old said there was no alternative to sticking to social values and ethical practices to be a successful entrepreneur, although it was difficult to maintain ethics in Bangladesh.
Speaking as the chief guest, the finance minister said Bangladesh is a land of impossible things and immense potential and possibilities.

“I have experienced it in the last three to four years in a big way. We have achieved things which are not normal and are not expected of us, but we have achieved it. We have achieved it simply because of our determination.”

The country is back on track, and this feeling is moving Bangladesh forward, Muhith said. “In the next 20 years, Bangladesh would be the 20th largest economy in the world.”
Muhith said the Daily Star-DHL Express awards are recognition of hard work.

In his speech, Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, focused on the inner strengths of the business community, and said: “They are resilient, hardworking and innovative.”

“Bangladeshs entrepreneurs are entering the global market. Our products are being exhibited in the most famous stores of the world. This is a huge achievement. But some of us may not know the hurdles needed to overcome to achieve this feat.”
Bangladeshs business leaders have come of age, he said. “They are more confident, knowledgeable, ambitious and, most importantly, competent. Over the years, they have made significant contributions to the economy.”

Anam said the whole world was waking up and taking a new look at Bangladesh, but “it seems that the country is on a self-destructive path”.
There are two effects of political unrest: internal and external, he said.

“Our business leaders have to deal with political programmes such as hartals through working at night. Internationally, a single footage of a bus burning on the street of Bangladesh or police baton-charging a huge crowd does enormous damage to a foreigners psyche.”
“The business leaders need more policy support. They need more infrastructural support. They need more political peace,” Anam said.

Before his speech, Anam paid a special tribute to Samson H Chowdhury, the founder chairman of Square Group, who died on January 5.
At the awards ceremony, Latifur Rahman, chairman and chief executive officer of Transcom Group, was recognised for making Bangladeshis proud on the global stage by winning the Oslo Business Award for Peace earlier this month.

“The Oslo award was not for me, but for Bangladesh,” he said. “And it is a great honour for me. It has been proved that it is possible for a third world country like Bangladesh to win the best achievement in the world.”

Desmond Quiah, country manager of DHL Express Bangladesh, said The Daily Star and DHL Express had introduced the award to celebrate the best in business in Bangladesh.
“It is the guiding principle of our company to contribute to business activities and entrepreneurships,” he said.

The Daily Star and DHL Express introduced the award in 2000 to honour the countrys best businesses and the people behind them for their values of business excellence, sustainability and commercial success.