From Scratch to an Empire: The Epic Legacy of M.A. Hashem

The life of the late M.A. Hashem is a shining testament to how a massive industrial empire can be built from absolute scratch by overcoming countless hurdles. He was not merely a successful businessman; he was a pioneering architect of Bangladesh's modern industrial landscape. Born in 1959 into a modest family in Noakhali, this visionary leader leveraged sheer integrity, unyielding willpower, and strategic foresight to establish 'Partex Group'—one of the country's most venerable and leading conglomerates.
From the Tobacco Trade to the Birth of Partex
M.A. Hashem’s entrepreneurial journey began on a humble and small scale. Before independence, in 1962, he commenced his battle for fortune through the tobacco trade. Following the liberation of the country, he relocated to Chattogram, where he expanded his horizons into import-export ventures and acted as a distributor for various daily commodities. However, his ultimate dream was to establish manufacturing industries. Driven by that ambition, he stepped into the manufacturing sector in the early 1980s, laying the foundational brick of Partex Group.
Diversified Industrialization and Household Brands
Under M.A. Hashem's forward-thinking leadership, Partex Group evolved into one of the largest and most diversified conglomerates in Bangladesh. The group claimed dominant positions across nearly every crucial sector, including particle board, plastics, paper, cotton, yarn, jute, real estate, aviation, steel, and shipping. Several of the most trusted and familiar brands in our daily lives were established under his guidance:
Partex Board & Furniture: He turned the name 'Partex' into the country's number one symbol of trust and quality for home and office interiors and furniture.
Danish: He sparked a massive revolution in the food and consumer goods market with Danish Condensed Milk, Danish Foods, and various dairy products.
MUM: In the bottled pure water market of Bangladesh, 'MUM Mineral Water' stands as one of his highly successful and immensely popular initiatives.
Contributions to the Financial Sector and National Leadership
Beyond the manufacturing floor, he played a monumental role in strengthening the foundation of Bangladesh's private financial sector. He was a founding entrepreneur and director of two of the nation's premier private banks—United Commercial Bank (UCB) and The City Bank. Additionally, driven by a desire to serve the public, he engaged in politics and was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Noakhali-2 constituency in the eighth national parliamentary election in 2001. Later, he withdrew from politics to focus entirely on business operations.
Worthy Successors and an Eternal Legacy
On December 24, 2020, at the age of 80, this great visionary leader breathed his last after battling COVID-19. Although he has passed away, he left behind a disciplined corporate culture and a lineup of highly capable successors. Today, his five sons are managing the different wings of the Partex legacy (such as Partex Star Group, Amber Group, etc.) with immense skill, driving his vision forward into the future.
The life of M.A. Hashem teaches us that with honesty, dedication, and the right foresight, it is entirely possible to reach the absolute pinnacle of success from any humble beginning. He will forever be remembered as a legend in the history of Bangladesh's economic growth and industrialization.