From the country of war-torn fragile economy to today’s self-reliant Bangladesh, where there is a history of crossing the path of a friend. After independence, the jute industry was the only industry to be mentioned at the public-private level. After that, many industries including readymade garments, agro-based industries, light engineering, pharmaceuticals, leather, shipbreaking and shipbuilding started to develop in phases.
The agro-processing industry has already established a strong foothold in the country’s economy. Apart from this, this industry, which has become one of the export sectors for the country, has also gained wide recognition in the world.
‘Pran’ of Bangladesh is leading in this sector. It started its journey in 1981 by retired Major General Amjad Khan Chowdhury. Today Pran has now reached 145 countries of the world. There are some countries in the world where Bangladesh does not have an embassy, but Pran is representing Bangladesh there. The Pran-RFL Group has received 16 consecutive National Export Trophies from the government for its significant contribution to exports.
The Pran-RFL family is quite prosperous today after four decades. Pran-RFL manufactures and markets a wide range of products including food products, housewares, light engineering products, electrical and electronics home appliances, furniture, bicycles, elevators, textiles, toiletries and flexible packaging.
Pran-RFL has factories in 18 places in the country, where its products are being produced and reaching consumers beyond the borders of the country. It has set up its factories in remote areas of the country so that the local people get more employment opportunities.
Its journey began in 1981, with the development of tubewells and agricultural machinery. Then it became interested in the production of agricultural products. In 1985, It started cultivating banana, papaya, pineapple, tuberose, etc. in Narsingdi on a small scale. And through this, started the journey of Agricultural Marketing Company Limited.
At present, Pran has one lakh contract farmers from whom It regularly collects various products including mango, tomato, almond, rice, pulses, pineapple, guava, turmeric and chili.
At one time a lot of powdered milk was imported from abroad to meet the nutritional needs of the people of the country. Pran introduced the first dairy hub system in the north with the development of the dairy sector in mind. At present, Pran Dairy has 12,000 registered farms under five hubs. From this dairy hub, the farmers are taken care of and trained.
The light engineering industry is another important export sector. Pran is already exporting its manufactured ‘Duronto’ bicycles to 10 countries around the world. At one time, Bangladesh had to import electronics and electrical products from abroad. Now the situation is changing.
The group now employs 110,000 people directly, the highest in the private sector. At present, about 1.5 million people are directly and indirectly dependent on the group.
Pran is running hospitals and schools as part of social responsibility as well as job creation. Apart from that, it has been conducting various activities including financial assistance in various educational institutions, construction of roads, being by the side of deprived people.
In its 40-year journey, the group has been able to reach this stage with the aid of the government, financial institutions and all concerned, and with the trust of countless consumers at home and abroad. But it do not want to stop here. Now its goal is to reach all over the world before it steps into the 50’s and becomes one of the leading brands in the world.
