Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat
Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gopalganj District, Bangladesh |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, university chairman, banking executive |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Known for | Founder and chairman of Canadian University of Bangladesh; former chairman of Padma Bank PLC |
Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat is a Bangladeshi entrepreneur associated with the Awami League administration. He established and chairs the board of trustees at the Canadian University of Bangladesh and formerly held the position of chairman at Padma Bank PLC.
Early life
Originating from Gopalganj District, Sarafat's family includes his elder sibling, sports commentator Chowdhury Jafarullah Sharafat.
Career
Sarafat initiated his professional journey in 1999 with Standard Chartered Bank, subsequently becoming a director at IFIC Bank. Following concerns regarding simultaneous affiliations with two banks, he resigned from Standard Chartered. In 2008, he took on the role of Head of Consumer Banking at ICB Islamic Bank. He earned a Doctorate in Business Administration from Commonwealth University-London in 2016.
In January 2018, Sarafat was appointed as chairman of Farmers Bank Limited, which was later renamed Padma Bank, succeeding Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir amid allegations of financial misconduct. Concurrently, he continues to serve as Head of Consumer Banking at ICB Islamic Bank Limited.
As the founding chairman of Canadian University of Bangladesh, Sarafat leads various initiatives including the Sarafat Chowdhury Merit Scholarship. In October 2021, he officiated the foundation stone ceremony for the university’s permanent campus in Purbachal, an event attended by Canadian High Commissioner Benoit Prefontaine.
In 2022, Sarafat was inducted into the board of National Tea Company Limited. He is also the founder of the media outlets Dainik Bangla and newsbangla24.com, and co-established Citizen TV alongside MP Muhammad Shafiqur Rahman, who later accused Sarafat and Benazir Ahmed of coercive share acquisition.
Sarafat owns RACE Portfolio and Issue Management, which acted as issue manager for the unsuccessful listing attempt of Best Holdings Limited, a process halted by Bangladesh Bank’s refusal to grant approval. The state-run ICB Capital Management refuted any association with Best Holdings. Additionally, he serves as a director for Unique Hotel and Resorts Limited, proprietors of Westin Dhaka. Together with his spouse, he manages Race Financial Management Inc. and Can-Ban Chambers House in Canada. He holds significant shares in RACE Asset Management and is a member of the executive committee of the Bangladesh Association of Banks. Furthermore, Sarafat is Managing Director of Unique Meghnaghat Power Limited, a subsidiary under Unique Group.
Personal life
Sarafat is wed to Anjuman Ara Shahid, who has served in prominent positions such as chairman of Strategic Finance and Investment Limited and as a director at Southeast Bank.