The first Bangladeshi to become a factory manager at British American Tobacco (BAT) in post-independence Bangladesh, has passed away.
MA Mokaddem, alias Runu, breathed his last at Prince George’s Hospital in Maryland of the United States on Thursday.
Mokaddem was born in 1939, in Noakhali. He studied at St Gregory’s and Dhaka College. Later, he graduated from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology’s (Buet) Mechanical Engineering department in 1962.
He joined Dundee tea estate (James Warren company) in Lashkarpur Valley in 1964, and then BAT, later Bangladesh Tobacco Corporation, in 1969.
In 1974, Mokaddem replaced Peter Cowley to become the first Bangladeshi-origin branch manager (Chittagong factory) of BAT in post-liberation Bangladesh. He became the first Bangladeshi production director of BAT in 1981, and joined the board of directors, replacing Barry Selby.
Known as “Mak” Mokaddem at BAT, he was extremely well regarded for the depth of his knowledge of the tobacco industry process and workflow. He was the first South Asian recipient of the industry's “Tobacco Man of the Year” award in 1982.
Mokaddem became general manager of BAT Papua New Guinea in 1992. Then he was stationed in Cambodia to overhaul the BAT factory there, and finally Singapore to oversee BAT operations in the Philippines and Burma, until retirement in 2003.
Post-retirement, Mokaddem became director of Birdem General Hospital. Finally, he joined Kazi Farms as chief operating officer (CEO), where he set up a Farm Management Training Program.
In his final years, Mokaddem lived in Maryland, United States. His wife Ismat Ara Mokaddem was a distinguished teacher at Sunbeams in Dhaka and passed away in Maryland in 2011.
Mokaddem is survived by his sons Asem and Amer Mokaddem, their wives, and grandchildren.
He will be interred in Maryland National Memorial Cemetery in the USA around 12:30pm (EST in the USA) on Saturday, next to his beloved wife Ismat Mokaddem.