Statement at the Fair Group Hyundai 3S Center Inauguration Ceremony

1

Statement at the Fair Group Hyundai 3S Center Inauguration Ceremony

September 5^th, 2021

Chairman Ruhul Alam Al Mahbub,

Honorable Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Captain MP Tajul Islam,

Chairman Mustafa Kamal, Honorary Consul of Korea to Bangladesh Distinguished participants, and ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon, Shubo Apranno, Kemon achen,

Thank you Chairman Mahbub for inviting me to this meaningful ceremony which is significant not only in the history of Fair Group but also in the history of Korea- Bangladesh relations. It is my honor and pleasure to be with you today.

It’s been already more than one year since I came to Dhaka. Time flies even in this pandemic time. Even though we are all experiencing difficult times in the pandemic situation, I am thankful that we are staying healthy and our lives are going on.

This is my third time to participate in the Fair Group’s event since my arrival.

Earlier this year in January, I had a pleasure to attend the signing ceremony between the Fair Technology and the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority to establish Fair Group’s factory to assemble Hyundai Motor’s automobiles at the Bangabandhu Hi- Tech Park. Later in January I also participated in the launching ceremony of Samsung Electronics’ air conditioner assembly line in Fair Group’s Narsingdi factory.

Chairman Mahbub is one of the businessmen I’ve met most frequently not only in person but also online. He is an enthusiastic businessman and at the same

2

time the strong supporter of Korea-Bangladesh ties. He is one of the most frequent contributors and participants to various events on Korea-Bangladesh relations. Taking the opportunity, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to you Chairman Mahbub.

During the course of my interaction with Chairman Mahbub, I found him a true pioneer not only in introducing a new business model to Bangladesh but also in taking the relationship between Korea and Bangladesh into a new height. It is no surprise that Fair Group is the company which solely established business partnerships in Bangladesh with the two flagship global companies of Korea, Samsung and Hyundai. His vision and pursuit of excellence, what he told at an interview, sky is the limit, has made current Fair Group possible.

Today, we are witnessing another important landmark in the business of Fair Group and its business with Hyundai Motors. The launching of 3S Center in the middle of Dhaka is another step forwards to realize the vision of Fair Group and deliver Fair Group’s commitment to the people of Bangladesh.

Through Fair Group’s 3S Center, Bangladesh people will enjoy the top quality automobiles and receive the best repairs service while having easy access to car parts. From early next year, these top quality Hyundai cars will be assembled and manufactured in Bangladesh and will be available at a more affordable price.

Moreover, the two Korean flagship brands, Samsung and Hyundai, Fair Group will open a new chapter of Korea-Bangladesh relations. Our two countries, based on the successful collaboration in the textile and RMG sector during the past several decades, will move into a new area of cooperation, high-tech manufacturing carrying big names.

It has become possible as Bangladesh has been marching continuously along the success path for the past 50 years since its independence. Its economic size, GDP, has grown fifty-fold during the past 50 years. During the past decade alone,

3

Bangladesh’s GDP per capita has increased three times.

Bangladesh has much impressed the world as one of the fastest growing economy in the world as well as in the region. Bangladesh is also showing great resilience even in the time of the unprecedented pandemic. As the previous Korean Prime Minister said in his video congratulatory message on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence and Centenary of the birth of Bangabandhu in March this year, Bangladesh’s success is echoing the miracle of Han River in Korea.

The success of Bangladesh was possible thanks to the determination of the visionary leadership by Bangabandhu and now the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. But we must not forget that there has been the vision, efforts and courage of business leaders in making today’s Bangladesh possible. And I am confident that the future of Bangladesh is bright for the very existence of these visionary political and business leadership.

Similar to Bangladesh, Korea’s economic success could be achieved through great political as well as business leadership. Korea today may not have been possible without the business leaders of Hyundai, Samsung, Daewoo, LG, SK and many others. The history and story of the development and success of Hyundai, Samsung and Daewoo is also the history and story of the development and success of Korea itself.

When I was a young man before joining the government service, the visions and dreams of the chairmen of Hyundai and Daewoo inspired me to make efforts to realize my dream of becoming a diplomat. Now in Bangladesh, I see many Bangladeshi young people are looking at the business leaders like Chairman Mahbub for inspiration and I believe that he is truly an inspiration for them.

Before closing, today on this occasion, I would like to present a small gift to Chairman Mahbub, maybe to his son Mr. Mutassim Dalaan, Director of Fair Group.

4

It is a biography of the founder of Hyundai, the late Chairman Chung joo-young.

For the time constraint, I will not explain the book or his life. But he was a man who has built the global company, Hyundai of today from the ground out of nothing. I sincerely hope and wish Fair Group to become a global company in the future like Hyundai and a flagship company of Bangladesh which opens the bright future of Bangladesh.

Thank you.