Industries Minister Dilip Barua poses with the businessmen who were awarded with a CIP status at a ceremony in Dhaka yesterday.Photo: STAR

A CIP (commercially important persons) status for the year 2009 goes to 39 businessmen in the industrial category in recognition of their outstanding performance in line with the 2008 industrial policy.

At a ceremony in Dhaka yesterday, Industries Minister Dilip Barua handed over the CIP cards to the awardees.

Of the awardees, seven are ex-officio, 22 under large-scale, nine medium and one small industrial category.

The ex-officio CIPs are Annisul Huq, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Waliur Rahman Bhuiyan, former president of Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry , Shahedul Islam, president of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries, Mirza Nurul Gani Shovon, president of National Association of Small and Cottage Industries of Bangladesh, Abdul Hai Sarker, president Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, Nazmul Haque, president of Bangladesh Jute Mills Association and Kamran T Rahman, president of Bangladesh Employers Federation.

The large industrialist awardees include K M Rezaul Hasanat, managing director of Viyellatex Group, Rupali Chowdhury, managing director of Berger Paints Bangladesh Ltd, Abdus Salam Murshedy, managing director of Manta Apparels Limited, Mia Mohammad Abdus Salam, managing director of Salam Seafood Limited, Dr Arif Dwola, managing director of Advanced Chemical Industries Ltd, and Ahsan Kabir Khan, managing director of Interfab Shirt Manufacturing Ltd.

The other persons under this category are Kutub Uddin Ahmed, chairman of Envoy Group, Selim Ahmed, managing director of Super Refinery Pvt Ltd, Shibly Mirza, managing director of Al-Amin Beverage Industries Limited, Mahbub Jamil, former managing director of Singer Bangladesh Limited, Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, managing director of Pran Agro Limited, Towhidur Rahman, managing director of Fresh Foods Ltd, Abdul Haque, chairman of Royal Green Products Ltd, Ali Hossain Akber Ali, managing director of Bangladesh Steel and Re-rolling Mills, Ltd, Dr Mohammad Athar Uddin, chairman of Azmat Fashions Limited, Dipak Bhowmik, chairman of Landmark Fabrics Ltd, Mojibur Rahman, managing director of BRB Polymer Ltd, Yeasmin Khan, managing director of Min Har Fisheries Ltd, Amjad Khan Chowdhury, managing director Agricultural Marketing Limited, Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury, managing director of Evince Group, Anwarul Azim, managing director of ABM Apparels Ltd, and Mahidul Islam Khan, managing director of Citadel Apparels Ltd.

The nine persons awarded under the medium scale industries are Abdur Razzaque Sattar, managing director of Utah Group of Companies, Iqbal Ahmed, managing director of Seamark (BD) Ltd, Khatib Abdul Zahid Mukul, managing director of Zaheentex Industries Ltd, Mosharraf Hossain, chairman of Sonargaon Dyeing and Printing and Mosharraf Spinning Mills Ltd, Inamul Haque Khan, managing director of Ananta Garments Ltd, M A Jalil, managing director of AJI Apparels Industries Ltd, Habib Ullah Khan, managing director of Minhar Sea Foods Limited, Shahana Sultana, director of International Shrimps Exports Pvt Ltd, and Rezaul Haque, managing director of Modern Seafood Industries Ltd.

In the small industrial category, Amir Hamza Sarker, managing director of Logos Apparel Ltd, is the lone winner of CIP status.

The CIPs will enjoy different facilities during their air, rail and waterway travels for one year. They are also free to enter the secretariat for a period of one year.

Before awarding the CIP cards to the winners, the minister said the new industrial policy will prioritise the private sector.

Industries Secretary Dewan Zakir Hussain and Chairman of SME Foundation Aftab ul Islam also spoke on the occasion.