Mohammad Fazlul Azim

Education Azim completed his high school education at Noakhali Zilla School. Azim is a graduate of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. He graduated in 1965 and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering.

Career

Business

Azim is a pioneer in Bangladesh's ready-made garments industries. He founded Azim Group in 1975. In 2014, Azim Group's garments division had an export turnover of over US$220 million. The group is also involved in various other sectors including engineering consultancy, steel, agro, real estate, packaging and paper. In 2018, Azim expanded into steel manufacturing and formed a new company - Global Steel & Engineering Ltd (GSEL), which is involved in producing transmission line hardware materials and other kinds of steel sheets.

Azim also served as vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the largest trade association in the country representing the ready-made garment industry, particularly the woven garments, knitwear and sweater sub-sectors with equal importance. Initially, Azim established BGMEA-Chittagong, a separate entity from BGMEA-Dhaka. He served as the first President of BGMEA-Chittagong. However, the Director of Trade Organization at the time advised that one association was better than two and Azim agreed. Then BGMEA-Dhaka and BGMEA-Chittagong were merged to become the BGMEA today. Azim is also one of the co-authors of the constitution of the present BGMEA. The delegation attended a bilateral meeting with business leaders from Cambodia, headed by the Cambodian Commerce Minister.

Azim was awarded Best Entrepreneur medal in 2003 by the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in recognition of his outstanding performance, service to the Engineering profession as well as his valuable contributions towards the enhancement of enterprises. However, in the 2001 general election he came in third and was not reelected. Yet he still won, making him the only independent lawmaker in the parliament during the 2008–2014 term. Azim represented Bangladesh as a Parliament delegate in several international forums, including giving speeches at the Asian Human Rights Council (AHRC).

Alongside his role as an MP, Azim was a member of the Standing Committee on Ministry of Water Resources and he received the nomination from the BNP to compete for Noakhali-6.

In his political career, he served as an MP for three terms.