Infrastructure trailblazer

He ventured into business in 1973, at a time when there was hardly any track record of the country producing successful entrepreneurs.

But in the course of the last four decades, Muhammed Aziz Khan has established himself among the country's most successful entrepreneurs.

Khan's first steps as an entrepreneur were taken with a friend, whose father's passing brought him into business. The 18-year-old Khan borrowed Tk 30,000 from his father to partner in a venture.

With over a decade of solid real-world experience behind him, in 1985 he set up Summit Industrial and Mercantile Corporation Ltd (SIMCL), with a view to developing the country's infrastructure.

“My brothers joined me and we started this amazing journey. We are very fortunate to be pioneers.”

Today, SIMCL's subsidiaries are the first private sector power generator, port owner, and operator and provider of information communication connectivity via fibre optic.

SIMCL's jewel of the crown, Summit Power, generates roughly 16 percent of the country's total electricity.

So far, Summit invested $1.2 billion and provided employment to 5,000. Its revenues stood at Tk 5,000 crore last year, up 64 percent year-on-year.

An MBA from the Institute of Business Administration, Khan has immense respect for other entrepreneurs. “Bangladesh is a role model for entrepreneurship. Nowhere in history were so many people, especially women, employed in such a short time as in our apparel and textile industry.”