EBL founding director and former chairman M Ghaziul Haque dies at 92

M Ghaziul Haque, Eastern Bank’s Founding Director and Former Chairman, Dies at 92

Bdbusinessdaily.com – M Ghaziul Haque, a founding director and former chairman of Eastern Bank PLC (EBL), has died in Dhaka at the age of 92. He passed away at Evercare Hospital on 5 October, closing a long career that linked banking, trade, entrepreneurship and the growth of a major Bangladeshi business group.

Haque was laid to rest at Banani Graveyard following his namaz-e-janaza, which took place after Maghrib prayers at Azad Masjid in Gulshan. His death leaves a significant void for his family, colleagues and many people associated with Bangladesh’s business community.

He is survived by his wife, Sultana Haque; his son, Anis Ahmed, who is the current chairman of EBL; and his daughter, Anila Haque. He also leaves behind relatives, friends, admirers and well-wishers.

Leadership at Eastern Bank

Haque joined the board of Eastern Bank in 1993, at an important stage in the institution’s development. His involvement with EBL extended over many years and included two separate terms as chairman. He first led the bank from 2000 to 2006, before returning to the role for another term from 2013 until 2018.

As a founding director, he was part of the leadership that helped shape EBL’s early institutional direction. His contribution was associated with the bank’s expansion, its governance standards and the strengthening of its corporate structure. For a commercial bank, these areas are central to maintaining confidence among customers, investors, employees and other stakeholders.

His long association with EBL also created a direct family connection to the bank’s present leadership through his son, Anis Ahmed. The institution’s history, however, reflects Haque’s own role as a board member and chairman across different periods of its evolution.

Haque’s work in banking formed only one part of a broader professional life. He was also chairman of MGH Group, a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Singapore and operating in more than 23 countries. The group’s footprint spans a wide range of sectors tied to trade, transport, logistics, services and consumer businesses.

A Career Built Across Business Sectors

MGH Group’s interests include integrated supply-chain management, cargo management services for low-cost airlines, airline global distribution systems, cross-border freight trains and satellite fulfilment-centre operations. Its portfolio also includes FM radio, tea and rubber plantations, food and beverage operations, and commercial banking.

The breadth of these interests illustrates the varied nature of the business environment in which Haque worked. Supply chains and cargo services connect producers, importers, exporters and consumers, while aviation, rail freight and distribution platforms support the movement of passengers, goods and information across national boundaries. The group’s presence in plantation, food and media businesses further reflected its engagement across several different parts of the economy.

Before his leadership roles at EBL and MGH Group, Haque began his professional journey with the British company Bird and Co Ltd. His advancement there culminated in his appointment as managing director in 1976, when the company became Birds Bangladesh Limited.

That progression marked an early milestone in a career that continued to influence business activity in Bangladesh and beyond. From corporate management to banking leadership, Haque’s professional path covered periods of economic change and increasing regional commercial connectivity.

Contribution to Entrepreneurship and Governance

Throughout his career, Haque was involved in efforts that supported business development and entrepreneurship in Bangladesh and the wider region. His work represented a generation of business leaders whose responsibilities extended beyond individual companies to the institutions and systems that enable commercial activity.

At EBL, his tenure as chairman came with responsibilities that went beyond daily operations. Board leadership involves setting strategic direction, overseeing governance and ensuring that an institution remains focused on its long-term obligations. Haque’s contribution to institutional development and corporate governance remained a notable part of his association with the bank.

Corporate governance has particular significance in commercial banking because banks manage deposits, lending relationships and the trust of a broad customer base. Strong institutional practices can help organisations make decisions with accountability and continuity in mind. Haque’s role in strengthening these areas at EBL formed part of his wider legacy in the financial sector.

His death is a moment of remembrance for those who worked with him across banking, logistics, trade and other businesses. It also brings attention to a professional life shaped by long-term leadership, cross-sector involvement and a sustained commitment to enterprise.

A Lasting Professional Legacy

Over the decades, Haque held influential positions while remaining connected to the changing needs of Bangladesh’s business landscape. His experience ranged from the transformation of Birds Bangladesh Limited in the 1970s to boardroom leadership at one of the country’s prominent private commercial banks.

His legacy rests in the institutions he helped guide, the business activity he supported and the leadership standards he sought to strengthen. For EBL, he will be remembered as a founding director and former chairman whose service covered more than two decades of association with the bank.

For MGH Group, his chairmanship reflected a business outlook that reached across borders and industries. For his family and community, his passing marks the loss of a respected figure whose professional life was defined by enterprise, institution-building and leadership.