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Golam Mowla

A pioneer of insurance
6 July 2004, 18:00 PM
OPINION
By Faiz Mohammed
6 July 2004, 18:00 PM
Born on 23rd March in 1920 he passed away on 4th July 1984. Although many he his life was short lived; his achievements are more than what many of us can attain in two of our lifetimes. Born among eight brothers, and well educated studying in the Presidency College, Calcutta, he was a well driven man and later became the pioneer of insurance in Bangladesh. Always willing to help people he was a man of great compassion and benevolence. He was a family man with a strong belief in family values. He was a devoted father and a loving husband. I (his grand son) was very young when he passed away and my memory of him is vague. I remember he had a very active social life and had many good friends. People loved his company for his witty sense of humour. He had an excellent sartorial sense and gourmet taste.

I was only five years old when I lost him, but I remember in snatches how he used to help me with my spellings so that I would be spared from my mother's wrath, how he sat by my side in the middle of the night when I was sick and at times he would pick me up and pace the floor to put me back to sleep again.

In the professional world he was known for his high morals and strong principles. He started his career working for Oriental Fire (India) till 1964. He opened his own insurance company, Great Eastern Insurance, in 1966. In the 60's he, along with two of his friends started a rolling machine factory (GMG). As this was not a success they sold it to late Mr. Aziz Sattar (at present the prosperous GMG Airlines). Right before the Liberation he became the chairman of R.C.D. During the liberation war, to save him from the hands of the Pakistan army, a special RCD meeting was arranged by Dr. A.R Sahib (personal journalist of the late Shah of Iran). So during the liberation he was taken out of the country. And he stayed in London till January '72 when he came back with late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to a liberated Bangladesh.

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Nana Bhai dedicated his life to insurance. He was shattered when all the insurance companies along with his were nationalised in 1972, and he did not want to continue any more. But the then government would not take "no" for an answer. He was chosen as the first Managing Director of Shadharan Bima Corporation. After his retirement he carried on with his social works. He was an active Rotarian, and was president of the Rotary Club from 1961-1962. He will always be remembered as the great man he was in the hearts of the people whose lives he has touched. I would consider myself an accomplished person if I could become half the man he was.