FBCCI’s Jashim Uddin elected new president of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry

He will succeed Pakistan’s Iftikhar Ali Malik, whose term ends this month

Md Jashim Uddin, the president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, will lead the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation chamber for the 2023-24 term. 

He is succeeding Pakistan’s Iftikhar Ali Malik, whose tenure at the trade body of the South Asia region ends this month. Malik will hand over responsibilities to Jashim Uddin in Dhaka very soon, an FBCCI statement read on Monday. 

Generally, the president is elected from eight SAARC countries -- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka -- every two years. 

Bangladesh previously had two representatives leading the chamber -- Salman F Rahman, from 1996 to 1997, and Annisul Huq, from 2010 to 2011. 

Jashim Uddin, a native of Noakhali, joined the Board of Bengal Group of Industries as director in 1983 while studying commerce at Dhaka University. 

He is the chairman of Bengal Commercial Bank Limited, vice-chairman of the Bengal Group of Industries and Bengal Media Corporation. 

He is also the president of the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association. 

Jashim Uddin was awarded the Commercially Important Person status, the Best Enterprise Award, and the Prime Minister's National Export Trophy-Gold several times for his contribution to the country’s trade. 

He also won the President Industrial Development Award-2009 and the Best Enterprise Award-2007.