Bashundhara wants to keep footprint across world, Says Ahmed Akbar Sobhan
Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan said on Saturday that they want to keep their footprint in all countries across the world through exporting their papers.
“Bashundhara Group will keep their footprint in all countries through exporting its papers,” he said while addressing the Bashundhara Paper Annual Dealers Conference 2019 in the capital.
Once Bangladesh used to import papers from different countries, including China, Sweden and India, now it is exporting paper to many countries, he said.
Bashundhara Paper Mills Limited and Bashundhara Multi Paper Industries Limited organised the conference at the residence of Bashundhara Group Vice-Chairman Safwan Sobhan Tasvir in Bashundhara residential area.
Bashundhara Group Vice-Chairman Safwan Sobhan Tasvir, Director Yeasha Sobhan, Senior Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Belayet Hossain, DMD Md Mostafizur Rahman, Chief Financial Officer Mirza Mujahidul Islam (Sector-C) and Head of Sales (Paper) Md Masudur Rahman were present at the conference.
Bashundhara Papers gave the award to top 10 dealers with crest and souvenir at the conference. Three of them got “Dhaka-Bali-Dhaka’ air tickets.
The winners are — M/S Yousuf Enterprise from Dhaka, M/S Mohammadia Paper House from Dhaka, M/S Ahmed Trading Corporation from Dhaka, M/S Monorom Trading from Dhaka, M/S Kagoj from Rangpur, M/S Rangunia Store from Chattagram, M/S National Paper House from Dhaka, M/S Universal Traders from Dhaka, M/S Sky Traders from Dhaka and M/S Samrat Store from Khulna.
Ahmed Akbar Sobhan said, “We believe that the people working with Bashundhara Group are members of our family. Our family bonding is the main inspiration behind this massive progress of our business which began in 1987.”
“At the same time, we have achieved trust and love from consumers through maintaining the utmost quality of our products. We started our tissue business, producing only one tonne. Today, this production has reached over 200 tonnes.”
“From my childhood, I used to see the piles of wasted papers in Old Dhaka. That time, businessmen had to wait two to three months to purchase a tonne of papers from Khulna Newsprint Mill or Karnaphuli Paper Mills. This crisis made me inspired to set up a paper mill. Today, we have 13 machines in our factories. The number will increase in the future.”
He further said: “The owner of a tiny shop beside a road in a rural village is also a member of our family as he [the owner] is contributing to flourishing our business by selling Bashundhara products.”
Economic development has been taken place in the country. Every individual of the country has been benefited through this development, the Bashundhara chairman added.
Quoting the finance minister, Ahmed Akbar Sobhan said, “The GDP growth of the country will be 8.25 per cent while it was 7.65 per cent in the last fiscal year.”
In reply to a question from a paper dealer, he said, “Bashundhara Group won’t take part in the traditional rat race like other business organisations in the country. The mega projects, including Padma Bridge and Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, are being constructed by using Bashundhara Cement. It has been possible only because of our product quality, not quantity.
The quality of Bashundhara Paper is not only higher than other companies in Bangladesh but also foreign companies. Many companies from India are importing our papers due to its good quality.
The paper market is very competitive. Bashundhara Group launched its business as the first private paper mill in the country.
Today, the number of paper mills stands at 106, but it is very challenging to make it sustainable. Around 70 mills have been shut down as it’s a very capital-intensive business.
He came up with the announcement that he will give an award to top three Bashundhara Paper dealers by presenting 5 Katha, 4 Katha and 3 Katha of plots in Bashundhara Residential Area in the capital.
“It’s a dream of all family to be the owner of a plot in Bashundhara R/A for its idyllic beauty. I want that my family members will live in Bashundhara R/A after winning a plot. That will definitely strengthen our bonding.”
Speaking on the occasion, Bashundhara Group Director Yeasha Sobhan said that Bashundhara Paper Mills Ltd started its journey 25 years ago with a single unit. Today it has 3 units apart from Bashundhara Multi Paper Industries Limited unit.
Today Bashundhara Paper has received a super brand award, she said, adding that it came due to the leadership of Vice-Chairman Safwan Sobhan.
In his speech, Bashundhara Group DMD Md Mostafizur Rahman said once the country used to import papers from India, now many of Indian companies are importing Bashundhara paper due to its quality.
Bashundhara paper production capacity more than 2.5 times higher the local market demand with the capacity to produce various papers includes Art paper, security paper and currency paper.
Masudur Rahman welcomed the dealers and highly appreciated their efforts in achieving the targets last year.
Additionally, he analysed the future challenges and ways to face them to achieve the target.