The 31st death anniversary of Anwara Begum, former managing director of KDH Laboratories Ltd, former president of Abahani Club, and former president of Bangladesh Aushud Shilpa Samity will be held on Sunday.
On the occasion, a Qurankhwani and a milad mahfil will be held at her eldest daughter former lawmaker Sultana Dawla’s Baridhara residence after Dhuhr prayers followed by Doa Mahfil and distributing food among poor after Asr prayer at Banani Graveyard in the capital.
Her eldest daughter Sultana Dawla is requesting well-wishers and relatives to pray for the salvation of the departed soul of her late mother Anwara Begum.
Anwara Begum was not only a name. KDH Laboratories was not merely a business establishment in 1960s but an engraved sovereign part of Bangladesh’s history within the medicine manufacturing industry in the country and also in the liberation war of the Bangladesh
There are the unmistakable examples of the fact that one can prosper in life over coming heavy odds, can do everything if oneself confidence is firm like mountain and purpose is honest and efforts are sincere and ceaseless, Karim Drug House started as a medicine shop in 1955 initially and later became a big drug manufacturing firm only due to hard labour and restless efforts of Anwara Begum.
Anwara Begum was born on August 1935 in Serajganj subdivision of Pabna district.
Her father Late Md Sujat Ali Mia was a Chief of Police, Late mother Jamila Khatun was a home maker and late husband Md Sharif was a prominent Business man of Dhaka and also Chief of Dum Dum Airport (now Netaji Subhash Bose International Airport Kolkata).
She was educated in Serajganj and during her student life, while living with her father in different places in Bangladesh where he served, Anwara Begum saw from close distance the unfold miseries of the innumerable men, women and children suffering from diseases, epidemics and poverty in poor Bengal.
She was shocked and her heart bled when she saw how the ailing humanity, crying for help and care and was left uncared for.
The medication that could treat patients was not easily available in the market, and was very expensive to afford the imported medication, she decided to manufacture the drugs locally which would be cost effective.
She decided in distant past to dedicate herself to cause of suffering humanity.
Anwara Begum was not only associated with business but also an active community activist, President of Pabna Samity, member of Industrial Advisory Council, Director of IDBP, former president of Aushud Shipla Samity and Founder and Former President of Abahani Club Bangladesh.
She was also a liberation war hero who have supported the valiant freedom fighters like with food, medications, shelter, health treatment, funds; who have nursed the wounded freedom fighters like Shaheed Sheikh Kamal and his troops and hid their weapons, vehicles at her residential premises in Dhanmondi by risking her own, children, family members and relatives lives.
Her sole aim was to serve the ailing people, and for people who are in need, and dedicated to serve humanity till the last day of her life and her death she was buried in Banani graveyard beside her mother.