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A BIOGRAPHY ON RUBANA HUQ
Bangladeshi Businesswoman
(9 February 1964 – Present)
On 9 February 1964, Rubana Huq was born in Dhaka, which was in the then East Pakistan, now in Bangladesh. She was initially educated at Viqarunnisa Noon School, Dhaka, and later completed her HSC from Holy Cross College, Dhaka. Then she obtained an MA degree in English Literature from East West University, Dhaka, in 2008. Finally, she achieved her PhD. degree from Jadavpur University, India, in 2018.
She is popularly known in Bangladesh as a successful businesswoman. She is the first female and immediate past President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). She served in this role from 12 April 2019 to 12 April 2021. On February 15, 2021, she stepped down from the post due to her getting appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the Asian University for Women, in Chittagong. She is however still working as a member of the board of trustees of BGMEA.
She is the Vice-Chancellor and a member of the board of trustees of the Asian University for Women (AUW), Chittagong.
She is also the Chairperson of the Mohammadi Group. From 1995 to 2017, Rubana was the Managing Director of the group. After the demise of her husband, in 2017, she took over the post of ‘Chairperson’ of the group.
She is the former CEO of TV Southasia which was a collaborative platform of South Asian electronic media which was based in Kolkata, India.
Moreover, she is serving as the Chairperson of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh Limited (LHBL).
She has been representing in the UNFCCC fashion industry charter for climate action for the years 2021–2022.
She is working as a board member for the UNFCCC fashion charter, and Gono Sahajjo Shangstha (GSS).
She works with Bangladeshi writers for a literary magazine, titled ‘Monsoon Letters’.
Finally, Rubana is an associate at the Asian Center at Harvard University and an Executive-in-Residence at Stern school of Business, New York University.
In Marital life, she was married, in 1952, to the late Annisul Huq; the First Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation, a successful entrepreneur, and a TV show host. Annisul died in 2017 and she has not re-married. The couple together had 3 children; Navidul Huq, Wamiq Umaira, and Tanisha Fariaman Huq. Navidul is currently a director of the BGMEA.
Rubana, being a literature student, wrote a poetry book in 2006. Her first book of poems is titled ‘Time of My Life’. She also likes to write different articles in newspapers from time to time.
Rubana was honored with the “Human Right Award”, at the National Chamber of Italian Fashion (CNMI) Sustainable Fashion Awards 2022 on the occasion of Milan Fashion Week.
She was recognized in the BBC 100 Women series, in 2013 and 2014.
In 2014, she was awarded the DHL-Daily Star Bangladesh Business Award for “Outstanding Business Women of The Year”.
She has won the SAARC literary award, in 2006, for her poetry book.
Rubana has established the Bangladesh chapter FOSWAL (Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature) and the WRITE Foundation.
Life of "Rubana Huq" At a Glance
Real Name: Rubana Huq
Birth Date: 9 February 1964
Birth Place: Dhaka, the then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh
Education:
➢ Viqarunnisa Noon School, Dhaka
➢ Holy Cross College, Dhaka
➢ MA in English Literature, East West University, Dhaka, in 2008
➢ PhD., Jadavpur University, India, in 2018
Professions:
➢ Vice-chancellor, Asian University for Women, since 15 February 2022
➢ Managing Director, Mohammadi Group, from 1995 to 2017
➢ Chairperson, Mohammadi Group, since 2017
➢ President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), from 12 April 2019 to 12 April 2021
➢ CEO, TV Southasia, from 2006 to 2010
➢ Board member, BGMEA
➢ Board member, the UNFCCC fashion charter,
➢ Board member, the Asian University for Women (AUW)
➢ Board member, Gono Sahajjo Shangstha (GSS)
➢ Chairperson of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, LafargeHolcim Bangladesh Limited (LHBL)
➢ Associate, Asia Center at Harvard University
➢ Executive-in-Residence, Stern school of business, New York University, USA
Married to: Annisul Huq
Children: 3
➢ Navidul Huq
➢ Wamiq Umaira
➢ Tanisha Fariaman Huq
Religion: Islam
Awards and Achievements:
➢ BBC 100 Women series, in 2013 and 2014
➢ “Outstanding Women in business”, by DHL-Daily Star Bangladesh Business Award
➢ “The Human Right Award”, by CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards 2022
➢ SAARC Literary Award, 2006
Book: Time of My Life
Early Life and Education
On 9 February 1964, Rubana Huq was born in Dhaka which was in the then East Pakistan at that time, and now in Bangladesh.
She completed her high school education from Viqarunnisa Noon School, Dhaka and passed her college life at Holy Cross College, Dhaka. Later, in 2008, she achieved her M.A. degree in English literature from the East West University, Dhaka. After 10 years, in 2018, she obtained her PhD degree from Jadavpur University, in Kolkata, India.
Career
She is popular in Bangladesh mainly as a successful businesswoman. However, she is also known for many other works.
Her biggest recognition is that she is the first female (in four decades) and immediate past President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). It is a powerful lobbying group of 4,500 clothing factories in all over Bangladesh. In 2019, she was elected for this post. She served in this role from 12 April 2019 to 12 April 2021. During the election of BGMEA, which was held on 6 April, 2019, at Dhaka, she had won all the 35 posts of directors and thus became the President. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had congratulated her for the win.
Earlier on February 15, in 2021, she sent a resignation letter to the organization saying she has decided to step down from the post due to her getting appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the Asian University for Women, in Chittagong. But she is still working as one of the members of the board of trustees of BGMEA.
Therefore, since February 2022, Rubana is currently acting as the Vice-Chancellor of Asian University for Women (AUW), Chittagong. She is a member of the board of trustees of the university too.
Furthermore, she is also the Chairperson of Mohammadi Group. It is a family-run corporation that started off exporting ready-made clothing before expanding into software, digital distribution, real estate, and electricity generation. Most recently, the group has launched a Bangla television channel called Nagorik. From 1995 to 2017, Rubana was the Managing Director of the group. Then, after the demise of her husband, in 2017, she took over the post of ‘Chairperson’ of the group.
She served as the CEO of TV Southasia. It was a collaborative platform of South Asian electronic media which was based in Kolkata, India.
She is acting as board member for the NGOs: the UNFCCC fashion charter, and Gono Sahajjo Shangstha (GSS).
She is also working as the Chairperson of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh Limited (LHBL). This company is the largest foreign direct investment in the construction industry of Bangladesh.
In the UNFCCC fashion industry charter for climate action for the years 2021–2022, she represents on behalf of the global manufacturers.
Besides her corporate entities, since 2006, she has been working with Bangladeshi writers for a literary magazine, titled ‘Monsoon Letters’.
Additionally, at present, she is an associate at the Asian Center at Harvard University and an Executive-in-Residence at Stern school of Business, New York University.
Contributions
Rubana has established the Bangladesh chapter FOSWAL (Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature) and the WRITE Foundation. In February 2014, the WRITE foundation hosted its SAARC Literary Summit.
Due to the Covid-19, there was a negative growth figure in the garments industry. The employees were struggling hard to survive. There was a shut down of garments and cut offs of laborers. That time, Rubana, being the President of BGMEA, ensured that a Tk5,000 crore of soft loans announced by the prime minister to be sent directly to workers’ bank accounts or mobile accounts.
She had also submitted a set of proposals with the Bangladesh Bank for the revival of the garments sector in Bangladesh.
Personal Life
In Marital life, she was married to the late Annisul Huq. He was a successful entrepreneur, TV show host, and most importantly the First Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation who was well respected by everyone. They got married in 1952 and Rubana became a widow when in 2017, Annisul was killed by some terrorists. The couple together had 3 children; one son (Navidul Huq) and two daughters (Wamiq Umaira, and Tanisha Fariaman Huq).
In 2019, at the BGMEA biennial election of the trade body, both Rubana and Navidul became directors while Rubana was still the President of BGMEA. This incident had made a record in Bangladesh because it was for the first time that a mother-son duo became directors of BGMEA.
As she is a literature student, she loves to write different articles for daily national newspapers. Also, she is an author of a poetry book. Her very first book of poems is titled ‘Time of My Life’, written in 2006.
Awards and Achievements
Rubana was featured at the National Chamber of Italian Fashion (CNMI) Sustainable Fashion Awards 2022 on the occasion of Milan Fashion Week. She was honored with the “Human Right Award”, which was given to the people for their commitment to sustainability in its highest sense, including vision, innovation, commitment to craftsmanship, inclusivity, circular economy, human rights and environmental justice. She was recognised by the Artistic Director of Valentino, Pierpaolo Piccioli.
She was recognized in the BBC 100 Women series, twice, in the year 2013 and 2014.
In 2014, she was awarded the DHL-Daily Star Bangladesh Business Award for “Outstanding Business Women of The Year”.
She has won the SAARC literary award, in 2006, for her poetry book.
Conclusion
Rubana is a motivational speaker and a muse for young generations especially for females who can now dream and believe that women can achieve success and high recognition globally. Rubana is representing our country positively in front of the world. As she is managing different organizations simultaneously, shows how much of a strong, determined and passionate woman she is.