Businessman Kutubuddin Ahmed named honorary consul of East Timor

The businessman has described his appointment as a milestone in the diplomatic relations between the two nations

Businessman Kutubuddin Ahmed has been officially recognised by the Bangladeshi government as the honorary consul of East Timor-Leste.

Khandker Masudul Alam, the chief of protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presented the formal letter of recognition to Kutubuddin at the State Guest House Meghna on Thursday morning, according to a media statement from Sheltech.

The appointment of Kutubuddin as honorary consul was first announced by the Timorese government in October last year.

The press release mentioned that Kutubuddin described his appointment as Timor-Leste’s honorary consul in Bangladesh as a milestone in the diplomatic relations between the two nations.

“This will pave the way for increased cooperation between Bangladesh and Timor-Leste by establishing formal relations,” the press release quoted him as saying.

He also noted that Bangladesh’s expertise and resources could contribute to Timor-Leste’s development, while Bangladesh, in turn, could benefit from enhanced regional trade and investment opportunities through this partnership.

A distinguished figure in Bangladesh’s business and industrial landscape, Kutubuddin has a career spanning multiple sectors, including textiles, ready-made garments, housing, construction, ceramics, and aviation. A graduate in Mechanical Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, he is the chairman of Sheltech Group, Envoy Legacy, and Envoy Textiles. In 2016, he was named the DHL-Daily Star “Business Personality of the Year” for his outstanding contributions to the business community.

In 2020, he was honoured with the title of Knight Officer of the Spanish Royal Order of Merit. He is a former president of the BGMEA and MCCI. He has also served as the Secretary General of the Bangladesh Olympic Association.