Latifur Rahman’s 6th death anniversary today
Today, 1 July, marks the sixth death anniversary of Latifur Rahman, the founding Chairman of Transcom Group, one of Bangladesh’s leading business conglomerates.
He passed away on this day in 2020 at his family home in Chiora, Chauddagram, Cumilla. He was born in 1945.
Latifur Rahman remains one of the most respected figures in Bangladesh’s business community. Widely admired for his integrity and ethical business practices, he earned a reputation as a principled and socially responsible business leader.
In recognition of his commitment to responsible business, the Business for Peace Foundation in Oslo, Norway, honoured him with the prestigious Oslo Business for Peace Award in 2012.
Throughout his career, he received numerous national and international accolades as an honest and successful entrepreneur.
Latifur Rahman also made a recognised contribution to establishing independent media in Bangladesh. He founded Prothom Alo, the country’s most widely read Bangla newspaper, and The Daily Star, the leading English-language daily, both of which operate under independent editorial policies.
He began his education at St Francis School in Dhaka before enrolling at St Edmund’s School in Shillong in 1956. He later sat the Senior Cambridge examination at St Xavier’s College in Kolkata.
After returning to Dhaka, he joined his family-owned W Rahman Jute Mills Ltd. in Chandpur as an executive in 1966. In 1972, he entered the tea export business by establishing T Holdings Ltd.
He led the launch of Transcom Group in 1987. Today, the group operates across a wide range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, electrical and electronic products, media, soft drinks, tea and consumer goods.
In 2017, Transcom Beverages Ltd. received PepsiCo’s “Global Bottler of the Year” 2016 award.
From 2016 to 2020, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) recognised Latifur Rahman as the country’s highest taxpayer in the senior citizen category for five consecutive years.
He also served as President of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Dhaka. In addition, he held key leadership positions in the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), ICC Bangladesh, and several other business organisations.
On the same date in 2016, Latifur Rahman’s grandson, Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain, was killed in the terrorist attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan, Dhaka. Faraaz was the son of Simeen Rahman, chief executive officer (CEO) of Transcom Group.