Dhaka, Jan 5 (bdnews24.com) – Square Group chairman Samson H Chowdhury died of old age complications at a hospital in Singapore on Thursday. He was 86.
Elder son Anjan Chowdhury confirmed his father's death to bdnews24.com by phone. "He was under treatment at a Singapore hospital."
He was undergoing treatment in Square Hospital and later, transferred to the Singapore hospital on Dec 27 last year.
Chief executive officer of Maasranga Television, a sister concern of Square group, Syed Fahim Munaim told bdnews24.com that they got news of his passing away around 10:30am on Thursday.
Expressing his condolences, the financial minister, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said, "I have known him (Samson H Chowdhury) for over half a century. He was an ideal businessman and an industrialist."
"A pioneer in the field of medicine in our country, he was also one of the leading tax-payers. The country has lost a successful businessman and entrepreneur," he added.
Samson was born on Feb 25, 1926 at Ataikula village in Pabna district.
After completing his education in India, he returned to the then East Pakistan and settled at Ataikula village where his father was working as a medical officer in an outdoor dispensary.
In 1952, he started a small pharmacy in Ataikula. Later, he ventured into a partnership to build Square Pharmaceuticals Limited with three of his friends in 1958.
Through Samson Chowdhury's hard work, Square branched off to toiletries, textile, agriculture products, information technology, health service and media.
Samson Chowdhury had said in an interview that they had chosen the name Square, "Because it was started by four friends and also because it signifies accuracy and perfection, meaning quality."
Square is now a publicly listed diversified group of companies employing more than 28,000 people. The Group's yearly turnover is $616 million, according to its website.
Samson Chowdhury was involved with many renowned national and international organisations. He was the former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries. He was also the former founding vice president of Bangladesh Association of Publicly Listed Companies.
He was the former chairman of Transparency International's Bangladesh chapter from 2004-2007 and of Shahbazpur Tea Estate and Mutual Trust Bank.
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