Nilufar Farooq, managing partner of Ikebana, KM Rezaul Hasanat, chairman and MD of Viyellatex Group and Morshed Alam, chairman of Bengal Plastic Industries

Business Person of the Year
KM Rezaul Hasanat, chairman and managing director of Viyellatex Group, received the 'Business Person of the Year 2007' award.
Hasanat began his entrepreneurial journey in 1996 when he joined Youngones Fashions Ltd, a small garment factory, as the chief executive officer. The company offered him 10 percent stake as a working partner.
At one stage, other partners of the company decided to quit the business. But Hasanat's business instincts inspired him to take a risk. He approached banks and bought the rest 90 percent stakes.
He shifted the factory to Tongi from Tejgaon to start production. He did not look back. The Viyellatex Group started emerging.
At present, Hasanat's enterprises include Youngones Fashions Ltd, Viyellatex Ltd, Interfab Shirt Manufacturing Ltd, Fashion Plastic and Packaging Ltd and Gothic Design Ltd.
The group's annual turnover was around $108 million (Tk 745.2 crore approximately) in 2006-'07 fiscal year.
Viyellatex Group sponsors scholarship programmes to some primary schools in Naogaon. The group has purchased a piece of land at Tongi to set up an 80-bed hospital.
Outstanding Woman in Business of the Year
Nilufar Farooq, managing partner of Ikebana, was awarded 'Outstanding Woman in Business of the Year 2007.'
Nilufar started her business in 1992 offering decoration services for important functions. She and her two friends invested Tk 2.10 lakh each to start a business on a small scale at Dhanmondi in the city.
The breakthrough came in 1993 when Dhaka hosted the 7th Saarc Summit. Ikebana was selected for decoration at Sheraton Hotel where the heads of the states and governments were staying during the summit.
Ikebana has grown further. It has moved to a 3,000-sq-feet office at Banani, which offers floral decoration, landscaping and roof gardening services.
The turnover of Ikebana, which has a workforce of 60 people, reached Tk 87 lakh in 2006-07.
Enterprise of the Year
Bengal Plastic Industries Ltd, one of the country's biggest and oldest plastic goods manufacturing factories, was awarded 'Enterprise of the Year 2007'.
The company began its journey in 1969 in old Dhaka when the company started manufacturing plastic spare parts for jute mills.
Inspired with the initial success, the company installed automatic machines in 1978 and expanded production base, manufacturing household utensils such as plastic jug and plate.
In 1991, Bengal Plastic Industries started to manufacture accessories especially plastic hangers for exportable garment industry. It got a boost in business after winning contracts to supply crates to Coca Cola and Pepsi in 1992.
The company's turnover hit $35 million (Tk 245 crore approximately) in 2007. It has a manpower base of around 2,000 people.
The company won the national export trophy twice in 1997-'98 and 2000-'01.
Morshed Alam, chairman of Bengal Plastic Industries, received the award on behalf of the company.