Tributes paid to Samson Chowdhury
Burial today
Flowers were there, on the church altar, benches and in the hands of the people from all walks of life who came in their thousands and paid their tribute to the country's legendary industrialist Samson H Chowdhury yesterday.
Ministers, lawmakers, politicians, bureaucrats, business community leaders, bankers, industrialists, media personalities and the people joined the sobbing family members at the Kakrail Catholic Church in the city to say good-bye for the final time to Samson Chowdhury, who died on Thursday at the age of 86.
With tears rolling down her cheeks, widow Anita Chowdhury, who never came into the limelight despite her husband's outstanding career over five decades, raised her hands and sang along with her three sons, a daughter and in-laws in the praise of Jesus at the overcrowded church.
Samson Chowdhury's son Tapan Chowdhury thanked the well-wishers, admirers and friends of his deceased father. “We knew that people across the country loved our father. We did not know that they loved him so much…”
Archbishop Patrick D Rozario in his prayer said, “We realise Samson Chowdhury was a gift of God to his family, society, the country and to the global community. We thank you.”
Samson Chowdhury has demonstrated real human values, he said, adding, “We pray that we can follow you. Oh God, grant him eternal peace.”
People lined up to shower Samson Chowdhury with white flowers.
Earlier, long before the official funeral proceedings started at 11:00pm sharp, people from all strata started to gather at the church with flowers in their hands.
The flight of Singapore Airlines carrying Samson Chowdhury's body landed at the capital's Shahjalal Airport at 9:00pm. A Square Hospitals' ambulance arrived at the church around 10:45pm with the body.
Debapriya Bhattacharya, distinguished fellow of Centre for Policy Dialogue, said Samson Chowdhury was an icon who proved how one can establish and flourish business focusing on human beings and services.
“He always had in his mind the people, creation of jobs, domestic demand and quality…he had a very modern mindset and was creative. He had a very strong sense of patriotism,” Debapriya said.
What the young generation can learn from Samson Chowdhury is that one can flourish his or her business to any heights whilst being honest, sincere and patriotic, he said. Samson Chowdhury will always remain the source of inspiration for the business community.
“He has also taken good care of his employees, and at the same time increased productivity of the companies. He worked keeping in mind the welfare of the workers. He was the human face of Bangladesh's business,” said the noted economist.
AK Azad, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), said he has not just set a conglomerate like the Square Group, he has inspired many entrepreneurs to dream and set up institutions like that.
“He himself was an institution. He has set examples for businessmen, industrialists and entrepreneurs in the country.
“His work was aimed at creating jobs so that the country can benefit economically,” Azad said. “He helped businesses thrive in the country by effectively negotiating with the government to solve problems faced by the businessmen.
“He believed in ethical business, which reflected in his work,” said the FBCCI chief urging the young generation to learn from him.
Salman F Rahman, vice-chairman of Beximco Group, said, “Today we [Bangladesh] produce 99 percent of the pharmaceutical products for the domestic market. Samson Chowdhury has a great contribution in this. He was the one behind the Drug Policy which created scopes for the flourishing domestic pharmaceutical products.
“It is a big, big loss for the business community. He set an example. We hope that we can follow him,” he said.
Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad said a good practice which Samson Chowdhury maintained is that he looked after the employees. He discussed with them to solve their problems.
Industrialist Anis Ud Dowla said Samson Chowdhury established Square Group on his own. “He was honest. His business ethics should be followed by us.”
Politician Amir Hossain Amu said he created thousands of jobs in the country by setting up a number of companies. “I hope his sons and daughter will follow his legacy.”
An emotionally-choked, former caretaker government adviser Geeteara Safiya Chowdhury said, “He was an inspiration for all of us.”
Samson Chowdhury's close associate Dennis Dilip Datta said he was a man of integrity and transparency. “He took his business to a great height, but never was a loan defaulter. His companies are listed in the stockmarket and have full transparency, which will continue to be so.
“Death is always sad but he has left us with such a legacy that we are proud of him,” Datta said.
The body of Samson Chowdhury, who was best known for his business ethics, practices, sincerity, creativity, quality and innovation, would be kept at the mortuary of Square Hospitals, owned by the group he set up five decades ago.
His body would start for his village home in Ataikula of Pabna early in the morning after a short break at Square Group headquarters in Gazipur.
Many of the Square Group's 33,000 employees would pay their last respect there, said an official of Square Group.
Md Abdul Khaleque, general manager of Square Consumer Ltd, told The Daily Star the body is scheduled to reach Pabna at about 8:30am on Saturday. Then it would be kept at Ataikula village, the ancestral home of Samson Chowdhury, so that locals can pay their respect to the departed soul.
The body would be taken to Square Pharmaceuticals, Pabna plant at 9:30am before being buried at the family grave, Khaleque added.
Air Vice-Marshal (retd) AK Khandker, the planning minister, Sultana Kamal and Rokia Afzal Rahman, former caretaker government advisers, Abul Kalam Azad, press secretary to the prime minister, Morshed Khan, former foreign minister, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International, Bangladesh, Transcom Group Chairman Latifur Rahman, Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Exporters Association of Bangladesh, Fazlul Haque, former president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and Asif Ibrahim, president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, paid their tribute to the legendary industrialist.
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