আনিসুল হক

ANNISUL HUQ

• Mayor, Dhaka North City Corporation
• Chairman, Mohammadi Group, since 1986
• Former President: SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SAARC CCI), 2010 – 2012
• Former President: Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), 2008 – 2010
• Former President: Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), 2005 – 2006
• Currently President:Bangladesh Independent Power Producers Association (BIPPA)

Brief Profile:

AnnisulHuq is the current mayor of the Dhaka North City Corporation, after being elected in April 2015. He is also the President of Independent Power Producers Association (an organization of all companies who owns power plants in the country and supplies to the national grid). It’s a newly formed association which negotiates with Power Development Board and Govt, on behalf of owners, assumed to be very powerful to influence Govt. policies.

Mr. Huq is the Former President of the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the apex trade body of South Asia, representing the Federations/National Chambers of commerce of all South Asian countries comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, focusing on trade and investment facilitation at a multilateral level in the region, encouraging employment, economic empowerment of women, developing young entrepreneurs, stressing on poverty reduction, and prioritizing people to people connectivity.

Mr. Huq has also served as the President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) for two consecutive terms in 2005 and 2006. BGMEA, the largest trade body in the country represents the interest of the 3500 factories and 3 million workers. Ready-made-garment solely contributes to 80% of the export of the country. As a President of BGMEA he initiated negotiation for duty free access of Bangladesh apparels and the formation of the 17 members Caucus by the members of the Senate and the Congress of the United States of America. During his presidency the caucus raised a bill in Congress and Senate, titled ‘Tariff Relief Assistance for Developing Economies Act of 2005’ or ‘TRADE Act of 2005’ focusing on duty free entrance of Bangladeshi garments to the US market. As a President, Mr. Huq also worked extensively for changing of European Union’s Rules of Origin favoring Bangladesh’s duty free access and equally progressed with obtaining duty free facilities under SAARC countries accumulation.

Mr. Huq was also the President of the Federation of the Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the apex trade body of the country, which represents 276 associations and 84 chambers of commerce in the country. FBCCI negotiates with the government on issues relating to interest of the total business community and contributes to the development of the national economy by making policy recommendations to the government and related agencies. Mr. Huq served as a President of FBCCI from 2008-2010.

Mr. Huq is the only Bangladeshi who represents so high profile local and international trade organization.

Mr. Huq established his own business in 1986 and is the Chairperson of nine export-oriented organizations under the trade name of “Mohammadi Group” which directly employs approximately 12,000individuals in solely the garments sector. In addition to the export of ready-made garments, the group has a real estate division, two IT companies, a power generation company that directly contributes to the national grid and a distribution company that represents multiple foreign television channels. Also the Group is launching an independent TV Channel to be on aired very soon.

Huq majored in Economics and graduated with honors from University of Rajshahi.

Apart from business, as a passion Mr. Huq is affiliated with the electronic media scene in Bangladesh. He has hosted many interviews with politically significant personalities, including an interview withthe current Prime Minister live on national television. Mr. Huq has hosted interviews that have influenced national vote in forming Government, such as the interview of four major political parties during election time. Huqoften hosts high-level business discussion programs on television in which he interviewsboth political and business personalities including finance and commerce ministers.

Mr. Huq works alongside his family, most notably his wife Mrs. RubanaHuq, who is the Managing Director of Mohammadi Group. In addition to running the day-to-day operations of the group, Mrs. Huq is heavily involved in the literary circle in Bangladesh. She writes weekly sub-editorials for the leading English newspaper in Bangladesh, the “DailyStar” as well as contributing to the “Wall Street Journal”, an American international daily newspaper that mostly focuses on business and economic news. Mrs. Huq is heavily influential as she writes on relevant topics such the garments industry in Bangladesh as well as the current political situation. She is currently pursuing a PhD in literature from Jadavpur University in India. Mrs. Huq is also the General Secretary for the SAARC Literary Foundation for the Bangladesh chapter. In 2009, she won the SAARC Literary Award for her book of poems “Time of My Life”. In 2014, Mrs. Huq was chosen to be the only woman from Bangladesh for BBC’s 100 Women Conference featuring 100 women from around the world. Following the conference, BBC created and telecasted a 22 minutes documentary based on Mrs. Huq and her journey to empower a young underprivileged Cambodian girl.

Mr. and Mrs. Huq have three children. NavidulHuq,the eldest and only son is currently the director of Mohammadi Groupand Managing Director of Desh Energy Ltd.He has obtained a management degree from Bentley University in Boston. WamiqUmairais currently working at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland after completing her studies at New York University and Princeton Unviersity. TanishaHuqrecently completed her bachelors in Political Science and Economics form Simmons College in Boston. Mr. Huq has enjoyed doing business with his family for over two decades. Together, they have created an influential and respected family in the business, political and societal circles in Bangladesh.