Vice President

A K Azad is the Founder and Managing Director of Ha-Meem Group, a Bangladesh based conglomerate and is the leading Readymade Garments (RMG) exporter of the country. In 2022 Ha-Meem Group’s annual turnover was $955 million, of which$860 million consisted of exports of RMG and textile products .He started his business in 1984 in the RMG sector and since then, Ha-Meem Group has become one of the leading and ever expanding corporate houses of the country. Mr. Azad is one of the pioneers in the development of the RMG Industry in Bangladesh and has been played a leading role in the furtherance of export-related industries of Bangladesh.

Ha-Meem Group of Companies comprises of Spinning, Textiles, Denim, Readymade Garments, Garments Accessories, Washing Plants, Cotton Recycling Plant, Tea Plantations, Printing Press and a leading vernacular newspaper “The Daily Samakal” and a TV channel, Channel 24. Altogether, the group has 30 companies, including the largest washing plants in the RMG sector. The group now employs more than 75,000 persons in its different units, most of whom are women.

As the highest exporter of RMG products and for his role in the development of the industry, the Government has declared him as a Commercially Important Person (CIP) continuously since 1997. His companies have been awarded time and again by the Government with the National Export Trophy as the highest exporter in the RMG Woven category. So far, Ha-Meem Group has received 11gold, 2 Silver, and 5 Bronze National Export Trophies. For being highest exporter among all categories Ha-Meem Group was awarded with the Bangabandhu Export Trophy for the year 2018-2019.

Mr. Azad is involved with numerous social and professional organizations. At present he is Vice President of the International Chamber of Commerce- Bangladesh, President of the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB), and Chairman of the Arbitration Board of Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries(FBCCI). He is very much involved with Government fiscal and trade policy bodies and being frequently consulted by different Ministries and Divisions on these issues. He is actively involved in the Government’s National Budget Consultative processes.

Mr. Azad is a former President of the FBCCI, the apex body of the trade & commerce of the country and former President of the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI). He was President of the Dhaka University Alumni Association (DUAA), a very prestigious organization of the country, for two consecutive terms. He was Chairman of Shahjalal Islami Bank and currently a Member of the Board of Directors of the Bank. He also has membership in a good number of prestigious social and philanthropic organizations.