M. A. Sattar
Mohammad Abdus Sattar | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date |
| Died | June 5, 2009 (aged 84) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, politician |
| Known for | Founder of Sattar & Company Ltd., Sattar Jute Mills Ltd., Hasna Shipbuilding & Navigation Ltd., Rangpur Industries Ltd.; cabinet minister in Bangladesh |
Mohammad Abdus Sattar (, ; 1 March 1925 – 5 June 2009), commonly referred to as M. A. Sattar (এম এ সাত্তার), was a prominent Bangladeshi entrepreneur and political figure. He established and managed several enterprises, including Sattar & Company Ltd., Sattar Jute Mills Ltd., Hasna Shipbuilding & Navigation Ltd., and Rangpur Industries Ltd.
During the 1980s, Sattar occupied various cabinet minister positions, was elected twice as a parliamentarian, and acted as the chief whip under President Ershad from 1988 until 1990.
Business career
In 1948, Sattar launched Sattar & Company Ltd. on a 262-acre site beside the Shitalakshya River in Narayanganj.[1]
Between 1963 and 1964, he became the first Bengali to chair the Pakistan Jute Association (PJA), a role he reprised in 1965 and 1967. Representing PJA on international platforms, he championed Pakistan’s jute sector amidst challenges such as market monopoly erosion, declining jute output, export constraints, smuggling issues, policy reforms, and the devaluation of sterling currency. While competitors like India, Thailand, and Burma expanded their jute production, Pakistan experienced a 4.76% decline in 1963–64. Export duties and restrictions further hampered competitiveness, with smuggling causing substantial revenue losses.[2]
To address these difficulties, Sattar advocated for simplifying jute licensing by eliminating barriers such as police clearance requirements and recommended abolishing the Agricultural Income Tax, which inflated jute prices without aiding farmers. He also urged for easier access to bank loans at reduced interest rates to encourage investment and stressed the importance of combating smuggling to safeguard the industry.[2]
At the conclusion of his leadership term, PJA commended Sattar for his effective negotiation of new gradations with foreign delegates and his management of sterling devaluation challenges—actions highly regarded within the jute sector.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Additionally, he held positions as vice-chairman and chairman of the Pakistan Jute Mills Association (PJMA).[3]
Sattar diversified into other industries by creating Hasna Shipbuilding & Navigation Ltd., Rangpur Industries Ltd., Tobacco Industries Ltd., along with Sattar Jute Mills.[4]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name The latter employed more than 10,000 workers.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
He also served on the boards of Australasia Bank Ltd. and Great Eastern Insurance Co.[4]
During this era, Sattar was among East Pakistan’s wealthiest individuals—ranked tenth—with ownership of five businesses valued at around 30 million rupees (equivalent to approximately US$6.3 million in 1970).Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Bangladesh Liberation war (1971)
As a leading Bengali industrialist closely associated with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sattar became a target during Operation Searchlight. On 27 March 1971, Pakistani military forces killed his eldest son, Taufique Sattar; however, they spared Sattar and his family after recognizing a distinguished Pakistani civil award he had received for his economic contributions.[5][6]
Post-independence activities
After Bangladesh achieved independence, the government embraced socialism and took control of most industries, including those owned by Sattar, such as Sattar Jute Mills, which became part of the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation.
Sattar united Bengali jute mill proprietors by founding the Bangalees Jute Mills Entrepreneurs Society Ltd (BJMES), aiming to campaign for the restitution of nationalized jute and cotton mills to their former owners. BJMES sought compensation amounting to approximately Tk 90 million for 34 mills that had been nationalized.
At a 1974 press briefing in Dhaka, Sattar pointed out that Bengali entrepreneurs continued to manage the mills after liberation until the abolition of director boards; however, their responsibilities were ambiguous and their expertise was largely ignored.
He maintained that jute mills ought to function on a commercial basis rather than as government departments. To this end, he proposed establishing advisory councils and management committees that included representatives from financial institutions, entrepreneurs, and workers.
As chairman, Sattar underscored that nationalization had resulted in considerable losses across industries such as jute and cotton textiles. Productivity per hessian loom fell from 16.4 tons in 1969/70 to 10.8 tons by 1975/76, illustrating operational inefficiencies under state control.
During this era, industrial sectors endured escalating expenses, currency devaluation, and corruption; the jute industry never regained its former strength and experienced substantial operating deficits for many years.
The introduction of the 1982 New Industrial Policy signaled a move towards privatization. Consequently, twenty-seven textile mills and thirty-three jute mills—including Sattar Jute Mills—were returned to their original proprietors.
In the process of transferring ownership, buyers initially attempted to exclude liabilities accumulated during government administration between 1972 and 1982. Following extended negotiations and a final "take it or leave it" directive from President Ershad, buyers were compelled to accept all outstanding liabilities and retain existing employees without layoffs. Although Sattar and other mill owners found these conditions burdensome, they ultimately consented. This period also marked Sattar’s foray into political life.
Political career
In 1983, he was appointed as an adviser to President Hussain Muhammad Ershad, holding the rank and privileges equivalent to a cabinet minister.
Between July 1985 and April 1986, he served as the minister of jute, during which he introduced initiatives aimed at modernizing jute mills, fostering jute-based industries, diversifying product lines, and expanding export opportunities. His efforts concentrated on increasing production levels and promoting broader application of jute across various sectors. Subsequently, from July 1986 to March 1987, he held the position of minister of labor and manpower.
Elected twice as a Jatiya Party representative for the Narayanganj-4 constituency in 1986 and 1988, he acted as chief whip for the party in the 4th Jatiya Sangsad from 1988 until 1990. In this capacity, he was responsible for maintaining party discipline and ensuring attendance during critical parliamentary sessions, thereby strengthening the party’s influence and coalition-building efforts.
In the 1991 Bangladeshi general election, he contested again but did not succeed, receiving 11.7% of the vote.
Personal life
M.A. Sattar was deeply involved in community service and charitable activities, providing support to educational and social organizations within his electoral area. In 1967, he made history by becoming the first Bengali to serve as president of the Narayanganj Club.
In 1980, he established the Sattar Jute Mills Model High School in Rupganj, originally intended to educate children of jute mill workers but eventually catering to the broader local population. Subsequent proprietors enhanced the institution by adding a contemporary four-story facility and a playground. Additionally, he founded a mosque in close proximity to the school.
To address financial liabilities linked to the jute mills, Sattar progressively divested most of his holdings. In 2005, he transferred ownership of Sattar Jute Mills—including its factory premises, storage facilities, and 55 acres of riverfront property—to industrialist Anisur Rahman Sinha from the Sinha Group.
M.A. Sattar died on 5 June 2009 at the age of 84.
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