Deen Mohammad
Deen Mohammad | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 3, 1938 |
| Died | September 15, 2022 (aged 84) |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Founder of City Bank and Phoenix Group |
Deen Mohammad (3 August 1938 – 15 September 2022) was a Bangladeshi industrialist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.[1][2] He was the founder of City Bank and chairman of the Phoenix Group of Industries.[3]
Early life
Mohammad was born on 3 August 1938 in Lalbagh, Dhaka, East Bengal, British India.[4][5]
Career
Mohammad began his entrepreneurial journey in 1960 with a hardware business, starting with Pakistani Rupee 20,000 given to him by his father Haji Nur Mohammad.[5][6] He founded the Phoenix Group of Industries, which comprises companies including Phoenix Textile Mills Limited, Phoenix Spinning Mills Limited, Phoenix Fabrics Limited, and Eastern Dyeing and Calendaring Works Limited.[5] Under him, the group grew to employ nearly 20,000 people.[5]
Mohammad also served as the founder chairman and director of The City Bank Limited, Phoenix Finance and Investments Limited, and Phoenix Securities Limited.[5] He was the chairman of Phoenix Insurance Company Limited from 2000 to 2006.[5] Additionally, he was the proprietor of Apollo Steel and a partner in Rupayan Group, a real estate company.[5] He also founded Phoenix Garments Limited, Apollo Ishpat Complex Limited, and Rangdhanu Spinning Mills Limited.[2] He founded Apollo Ishpat in 1994 as a pioneering manufacturer of corrugated iron sheets.[7] It established a galvanizing line in 1997.[7] The company was on the verge of collapse in 2020 due to embezzlement by a director.[7]
In 2004, Mohammad's Phoenix building collapsed, killing 22 and injuring more.[8][9] Police filed a case against seven, including Mohammad.[8] High Court Division bench of Justices Surendra Kumar Sinha and Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury rejected his bail petition and asked him to surrender Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court for his bail hearing.[8]
Mohammad was a lifelong member of several prominent clubs, including Dhaka Club Limited, Gulshan Club Limited, Uttara Club Limited, and the Rotary Club.[5] He was the president of the Lalbagh Sporting Club and the Rahmatganj Sporting Club.[6] He received the Maulana Akram Khan Gold Medal, the Jagadish Chandra Gold Medal, and the Business Initiative Directions (BID) award from a Spanish-based firm.[5]
Death
Mohammad died on 15 September 2022 at Anwer Khan Modern Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[5] His death followed a prior COVID-19 infection, which had severely damaged his lungs.[5] He was one of three top businessmen who died during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh along with M. A. Hashem and Anwar Hossain.[10] His funeral prayers were held at Lalbagh Shahi Mosque and later in Shyamoli. He was laid to rest at the Lalbagh mosque premises.[5]
References
- ^ "Industrialist Deen Mohammad passes away". unb.com.bd. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ a b "Industrialist Deen Mohammad passes away". Prothomalo. 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ "Renowned industrialist and City Bank founder Deen Mohammad no more". The Daily Star. 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ "Industrialist Deen Mohammad passes away". The Financial Express. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Jahid, A. M. (2021-04-28). "City Bank founder Deen Mohammad passes away". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ a b "Industrialist Deen Mohammad passes away". Daily Sun. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ a b c Habib, Ahsan (2020-08-27). "Once a high-flyer, Appollo Ispat is now standing on cliff's edge". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ a b c "Phoenix Building". The Daily Star. 24 March 2004. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ "Phoenix Centre MD seeks bail without Vokalatnama". The Daily Star. 2006-03-07. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ "Nation loses 3 top industrialists in a year". Business Insider Bangladesh. 28 December 2021. Retrieved 2025-07-04.