A college dropout from Assam’s Hojai who went on to become the owner of 500 million dollar group of companies in Laos, Habib Mohammad Chowdhury, has vowed to promote tourism and culture of northeast region in South East Asia.
“I have been trying my best for cultural exchange between the northeast India and Laos. I have already led some delegates from both the sides. I see a plenty of opportunities in tourism in the region. It will be great if we can send Bihu and Satriya troupes to Laos and vice versa. And that’s how we can better the relationship between the two regions,” Chowdhury said addressing an entrepreneurs’ conclave ‘Parivatan’ in Guwahati on Thursday.
Chowdury was felicitated for his achievements in the field of entrepreneurship on the occasion.
Chowdhury, who was born and brought up in Hojai in Nagaon district, has struggled hard to set up HSMM Group of Companies in Laos which has emerged to be the largest Agarwood and Agar based product’s company in South East Asia. Besides, they deal in perfume and mining. Now, his company has more than four lakh Agar plantations.
In 2010, at the India-Laos Business Forum, Chowdhury founded the Indian Chamber of Commerce (INCHAM) in Lao PDR.
He looked beyond the borders of Lao PDR and India and initiated implementation of the ‘Look East Policy’ now called ActEast Policy for northeast India. He set his sights at Southeast Asia, which is an emerging economic dragon.
“Northeast of India has a very important and strategic location. Nestled between Bangladesh, China, Bhutan, and Myanmar, it is ideally positioned for trans-border trade. Moreover, the neighbouring ASEAN region is one of the most dynamic economic regions of the world today. The ‘Act East Policy’ of our government offers a huge opportunity to transform the whole economic landscape of this region,” added Chowdhury.
Sharing his experience of early days in Assam and Dubai, Chowdhury said that his determination has placed him at the position where he is now.
“Due to financial crisis in the family, I had to drop out from my college. Leaving everything in Hojai I had to go to Dubai in early 1990s to bear the responsibility of looking after my whole family. I wanted to make my family comfortable, to get what they needed. I wanted them to enjoy life. I was resolved never to stop until I have provided well for them,” he said.
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An uneasy situation is prevailing in Byrnihat along Assam-Meghalaya border on Saturday after over 25 houses were burnt down at the height of a group clash in the afternoon. Police and CRPF jawans...
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A hardcore ULFA rebel, Montu Borgohain, was killed during an operation by army in upper Assam's Dibrugarh district on late Friday night. According to information, the incident took place at Nagajan...
Over 20 people have been injured when a passenger bus slipped into deep gorge in near Guwahati on Saturday.The accident took place at around 2-30 in the afternoon when the passenger bus was on its way to Kamakhya and suddenly it lost control and fell on a gorge where several people were rescued by police and local residents.
Governor J B Patnaik said that the government's counter insurgency operations have fetched dividends where the republic day boycott call was defied. In his address after unfurling the national flag in Khanapara in Guwahati, he said that steps are being taken to bring about overall socio-economic development in the state.
He said that the government is leaving no stone unturned to put Assam on a track of rapid development process. Patnaik also said that government was committed to fighting corruption.
The N-E insurgent outfits had called for boycott of Republic Day Celebrations from 1am to 5 30 in the morning.
Normal situation prevailed on Republic Day on Saturday. Trains and air services operated as usual though long distance and city private buses kept off the roads as the transport operators gave holiday to their staff on account of R-Day. National flags were seen fluttering in banks, educational institutions, etc., remained closed. Buses, private taxis and autorickshaws of state-run Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) plied as usual. Private vehicles and large number of people on foot were also seen making their way to the various R-Day celebration venues across the state.The N-E insurgent outfits had called for boycott of Republic Day Celebrations from 1am to 5 30 in the morning.
Defying militant diktat, Republic Day was celebrated across the stat with much fanfare and cultural extravaganza. Tight security was put in place to ensure peace during the Republic Day and accordingly there was no report of any untoward incident so far. Assam governor JB Patnaik unfurled the national flag and took salute of the armed forces and school children at Khanapara in presence of Chief minister Tarun Gogoi. Besides march pasts by the state police and central security forces, there were also dance performances by different ethnic groups of the state upholding the spirit of the republic. Similar functions were organised by the government at district headquarters addressed by cabinet...
Dispur Vidyalaya Alumni Association is going to organize second alumni meet at the premises of Dispur Government Higher Secondary School on Sunday, 27th January, 2013. The meet will a platform for all the Dvians to come to a common ground and devise ways to better the educational and extracurricular activities for the present set of students studying in this historical school.It is to be noted that the first chapter of the alumni meet was held last year on 29th January, 2012. The meet helped to forge a bond of community among Dvians from as many batches and a sense of commitment to the betterment of the school. While a website of the school, www.dispurvidyalaya.org, was...
The media fraternity of the city will hoist the national
tricolor tomorrow (Jan 26) at Guwahati Press Club. The program will
begin at 11 am sharp. Every one is requested to participate in the
program with an aim to pay tributes to the martyrs of India’s Freedom
Movement.
Asom Mohila Samata Society in association with Directorate of Field publicity, Dibrugarh organized an awareness programme on ‘National girl child day’ at Naduwa Panchayet, Dibrugarh on January 24.
Yet another IED was found at Goreswar Gasbari area on Thursday morning. The IED was planted by suspected anti-talk faction group of National Democratic Front of Bodoland near a culvert of Baihata-Goreswar road. Investigation is gong on. ULFA and NDFB are among ten outfits who have called a general strike on Jan 26 and urged people to boycott the Republic Day celebrations.
A powerful Improvised Explosive Devices was recovered ahead of the Republic Day celebrations in Darrang district on Thursday.The bomb was found near the Mangaldoi police station and Republic Day parade ground in the morning. Police suspected it a handiwork of ULFA for triggering explosion targeting security forces. Later army bomb squad team defused the bomb.
Guwahati Police have arrested 8 persons including a Mizoram forest department official and recovered some rare species of snake in Guwahati. These persons were arrested on Monday night from a building in Mathuranagar area in the city.A tortoise has also been seized from their possession on Wednesday midnight. Later they has been taken to the Dispur police station.
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