HAIDER : THE MAGNIFICENT MAN (a biography)

“With great power there must also come - great responsibility.”

- Spider-Man, the Film

Prologue

When does one feel to write about someone? Why does one feel to write about someone?  Reasons may very from person to person. But one thing is always common. The Man. Haider is such a man upon whom you can write an epic at a single breath. But it is a matter of great regret that writing can tell such a little bit which only increase your dissatisfaction on many untold stories. Yes. This is also true for this effort also. I had a wish to write a book containing thousands of pages but time sometimes does not allow something. As a very trifle being, I always run through shortage of time.

I always like to talk about him because of my passion about him. But many people may not have such a type of feeling. But who can avoide such a man who has the speed and accuracy like an advancing torpado. I am not an exception. I am also become amused by this feeling. It could be happened to any story teller. 

This book does not bear any credit to me. It is a joint effort of many men with whom we are very nearer to. Haider and his achievement is the main factor. The story lies in him and his surroundings is the background of this story. I am nothing but a compiler of this heroic deed. But ultimately we everybody have the taste. This story is nothing but a reality as the salt on our skin which naturally amassed from our day to day life.

 

A Simple Introduction

Dr. Mohammed Haider Ali Miah has been appointed as Managing Director and CEO of Export Import Bank of Bangladesh Limited (Exim Bank). He succeeded Mr. Md. Fariduddin Ahmed after serving as Additional Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director and Head of many important Divisions of the bank including prime Branch Manager since his joining in Exim Bank in 2000 as Vice President.

Prior to this, he worked in different capacities in various Branches of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited during his career spanning over 16 years in Islami Bank. He started his banking career in February 1984 when joins Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited as a probationary Officer.

Dr. Haider was born in 1957 in Manikganj, a city adjacent to Dhaka, Capital of Bangladesh. He studied at Dhaka University and completed his B.Sc (Hons.) and M.Sc. in 1979.

Later on he passed MBA from London Institute of Technology and Research, London, UK with major in Management and Marketing. He also received his Ph.D on "The Role of Marketing on Financial performance in showing differences between the traditional and Islamic Banking in the context of Bangladesh" from American World University, California, USA.

He obtained Post Graduate Diploma in Islami Banking and Insurance in 1998 from the Institute of Islami Banking and Insurance, London, UK and became Associate Fellow of the Institute. He is also a Diplomaed Associate of the Institute of Bankers' Bangladesh (DAIBB).

A Freedom Fighter and versatile banker Dr. Mohammed Haider Ali Miah carries with him over 32 years of rich Banking experience. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his banking endeavors, dedication and commitment to the society. He also received gold medals in the year 2001, 2002, and 2004 from the Exim bank for his outstanding performance.

Apart from being a distinguished academician in banking arena, he is on the panel of Guest Faculties of many Banking Training Institutes and Educational Institutes including Institute of Bank Management (BIBM), Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry Training Program, Islami Bank Training and Research Academy, National Bank Training Institute, Dhaka Bank Training Institute, Shahjalal Islami Bank Training Institute, Prime Bank Training Institute and The City Bank Training Institute.

He is also on the panel of Guest Faculty of MBA Program of Dhaka International University, Bangladesh.

He successfully conducted a session as Guest Speaker on Letter of Credit and Case Studies in International Trade Seminar at Citi Bank N.A Regional Processing Center Penang, Malaysia organized, by Citi Bank N.A in May 05 to May 08, 2002.

During his 32 years of banking career, Mr. Haider attended many international seminars and training programs in United States, England, France, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, India and Philippines.

Moreover he traveled Germany, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Dubai as well.

Mr. Haider is a well known writer and columnist. “A Hand Book of Islamic Banking & Foreign Exchange Operation” and “A Way to Islami Banking Customs & Practice” are his remarkable works.(adopted)

Chapters

Prologue

i.                    No begining; just some preliminaries

ii.                 From shoot to a plant

iii.               Life got better; Life got bitter

iv.               Restless efforts: growing privacy

v.                  Chasing Privacy; become public

vi.               Introvert Vs Extrovert

vii.             Call of the motherland

viii.          Top priority; Philoshophy of Purity

ix.               In the Fields of Dream

x.                  At the Age of Sanity

xi.               Flavour of Success; Craziness Vs Calmness

xii.             Be a man; Being a phenomenon

xiii.          Wide Wide World

xiv.           Prevention for perfection

xv.             Know Thyself

xvi.           Leap to leave itself

xvii.        Self actualization

xviii.      A short note on Haider penned by his beloved wife

xix.           I am Haider (In his own handwriting)

xx.             Conclusion

Epilogue

Life is simple, it’s just not easy.

                                                                        - Collected

Chapter 1 :  No beginning; just some preliminaries

Born on the 16^th September 1957 at a pastoral village of Manikganj subdivision under former Dhaka district (now Manikganj district) of the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), Haider is the eldest of his three brothers and two sisters.

Though Haider’s family was setteled in Manikganj subdivision under former Dhaka district they now live in the village of Ramarbagh, PO: Mirzanagar, PS: Ashulia, Upzilla: Savar, Dist: Dhaka, Bangladesh as their old dewelling was vanished by the erosion of the Ganges river. By religion, he is a Muslim from Sunni sect.

The early life of Haider is colourful. He had been brought up among the versatile beauty of Bangladesh. His is a village like a painting by the side of great river Padma. In the midst of the forever loveliness he found his childhood most cheerful. Learning from the nature directly his heart had become full of freshness and mind had become an altar of a sacred height.

His has got his unparalleled stamina from the southern wind of the stressed blue of the river and also from the unbound green of the eye catching fields. As a child he has got the opportunity to get a balanced growth. Bringing up among the financial affluence he had to maintain the rule of austerity. So, life was always like a disciplined river. It helped him a lot to be a man of circumstances.

     

  

Childhood is like being drunk, Everyone remembers what you did…..Except you! 

– Collected

Chapter 2: From shoot to a plant

Haider’s childhood is not a different one like other Bangladeshi children. He also started his education under Moulvi and pandit Mashai. He was used to play in the green fields, singingf folk songs and fishing in the pobnds and rivers. He was also sometimes rebuked by his father due to become a truant school boy. He lost himself. He found himself. The forever natural beauty of Bangla amaged him like others. Actually, it was not any how a little bit different one.

The time he passed at the very side of aggressive Padma river was a matter of great tense and feelings. The sound of the wave inscript in his mind with a deep drawn line. The cloudy sky of rainy season and torrent rainshed blazed his little heart sometimes. The feeling of both fears and strength came from the same source of sprit and inspiration. 

Sometimes the smallest things take up the most rooms in ones heart. – Collected

Chapter 3 : Life got better; Life got bitter

One fine morning Haider found that he has overcome his childhood. It’s a new life. It’s a new taste. He can think. He can run with full pace.  He can swim. He can fly. The life has got some changes overnight.

But the taste did not last for a long. Burdens of responsibility were awarded on him. The schooling was one of the most disgusting issues. It disturbed his usual life in many ways. He missed playing with his friends. Me failed to collect small birds from the nest. But other boys were duly did all the jobs.

His sorrows were increasing day by day. Missing the childhood arrogance he often felt himself such a miserable that it seemed to him that none was beside him.

   

How one handles success or failure is determined by their early childhood. 

– Ilarold Ramis

Chapter 4 : Restless efforts: growing privacy

Coming out side from the cave of childhood, Haider’s enthusiasm for learning was increasing day by day. At the very outset of his life he found himself as an attentive learner. He was sincere, hard working, punctual and obedient. He learnt very rapidly. This state of his mind created a tiny private world of his own where his personal thoughts and philoshopies were getting its shape. In his next life he enjoyed the benefits of that time.

Privacy comes when someone enjoys a life with a sort of freedom. At the time of his growing, his private world was flourishing day by day like other children. Form open childish lifestyle he started to enjoy such a type of delicate privacy.

   

   

If you have never jumped from one couch to the other to avoid the lava you have never had a childhood. – Collected

Chapter 5 : Chasing Privacy; become public

No state continued. Time change. Situation alters. His life was not an exception. Haider won the fear of presentating himself in public.

His social communication spreaded. His circle was growing day by day. At an early age Haider became popular in his ommunity. This changed the shape of his mind.

He was walking. He was sailing. He was flying. Haider was dreaming for a better status of his recognition. Every upbringing demands it. 

 

In a gentle way, one can shake the world. 

– Mahatma Gandhi

Chapter 6 : Introvert Vs Extrovert

There was always an invisible storm inside him. The turbulence was due to some questions. Questions regarding his action. Action whether he became introvert or extrovert. An invisible curtain was waving. The heart said to pop but the mind felt shy. What a situation. But Haider succeeded. He became a performer. He got a vocal. He became able to free himself from all the backwardnesses. He became a handy boy. He shaped his world in his own way. 

  

Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it.

- Malcolm X

Chapter 7 : Call of the motherland

The freedom fighting started in the late March. He always had a good state of his mind. He took the decision of helping his country. But he was only fourteen. So, he took the decision of helping the direct fighters. He started his mission as an helping hand of the freedom fighters. That nine months Haider lost himself in a completely different task. They waited at the side of the river Padma to hear the sound of gunboat by which the invaders forwarded to raid and attack the locality. By shifting day anfd night they waited. 

Haider attended different training courses in order to be a good fighter. Among them guerilla attack, charging of cocktail, operating gun, face to face combat are mentionable. A long nine month, he was far from his home and also his relatives. No one knew that whether he is alive or dead.

The trembling nine months made him a perfect man. His only motto was the freedom of the nation. He was the youngest veteran freedom fighter. He had only one junior colleague named Sishir. Rest of them is senior. After the freedom of Bangladesh, Haider joined in school for continuing his education. It is a matter of great feeling to be a freedom fighter. Haider can be proud for his sacrifice for the cause of his motherland.

Purity of speech, of the mind, of the senses, and of a compassionate heart is needed by one who desires to rise to the divine platform.     

- Chanakya

Chapter 8 : Top priority; Philosophy of Purity

It was the time to be built up or to be spoilt. But Haider took the right decision. He was an ascetic man but never be far from necessity of life. An amicable man with good grace was always at middle of any arrangement or occasion. He played, he travelss, he writes, he reads. He was everywhere in the campus.

Being amid of everything, he remained clean. His philosophy was to be a pure man. That is why with building moral character he was also aware of having a good health. All the things were done by him very smoothly and carefully. He had the ability to write a long chapter with a few words.

A man of good courage, patience and stamina Haider never bore negative thoughts.  His positive attitude towards this world made him a versatile one. 

Responsibility for learning belongs to the student, regardless of age.                         - Robert Martin

Chapter 9 : In the Fields of Dream

Haider entered into his university life through Dhaka University once upon a time considered as the Oxford of the East. Here Haider got himself in a completely new world.  His pertinent qualities helped him a lot to collect the benefits lying in there.

Haider was very close to his teachers and very popular to his classmates. His bright presence in every cultural event as well as many elementary organs of the campus made him familiar to everybody.

Haider’s dream to be something actually formed at that time. He took the ample opportunites of campus life. The rich library, wide swimming pool, fields filled with green grasses awoke inner strength of his soul. He became a man ready for upcoming days. 

Sanity is madness put to good use.

- George Santayana

Chapter 10 : At the Age of Sanity

Haider started his banking career in February 1984 joining Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited as a probationary Officer. He was promoted to the post of Assistant Vice president. He stayed there till 13^th April 2000 before joining in EXIM Bank as a Vice President.

It is mentionworthy that he enjoyed a sixteen years banking career there where he made himself handy, tradeable and transferable. That is why EXIM Bank purchased him at a high cost.

At that time Haider also built the real foundation of his life. He placed himself in a safe platform in respect of his career, solvency and social status. He always had his own lifestyle. He made himself a living mural. He was already been considered as an icon.

  

Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn't that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you.

- Marilyn Monroe

Chapter 11 : Flavor of Success; Craziness Vs Calmness

The real growth of his life and career happened at that period. He was enjoying a boom in his life and career. He got many local and foreign training at that time. He traveled many a places all over the world. He saw many things. He got the taste of this lucrative world. He has promoted to Assistant Vice President and awarded the responsibility odf the Foreign Exchange Department as its Head. He was discharging the duties of such a position which was previously performed by a Vice President. It made him confidant.

Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.

- Bruce Lee

Chapter 12 : Be a man; Being a phenomenon

Though Haider’s remarkable success started from the time of his discharging duties from the desk of Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade as its Head in Islamic Bank Bangladesh Ltd. But it became significant when he joined newly established EXIM Bank as its Vice President on 13/04/2000, within one year he was promoted to the post of Senior Vice President. He was promoted to the post to Executive Vice President on 13/04/2004. He got promotion as a Senior Executive Vice President on 13/04/2007.

All the events happened duly and with great satisfaction. Through this path Haider not only attained his desired promotion but also added many credits. He has got gold medals three times for his outstanding performance. Haider was also selected for many foreign and local important training, workshops, seminars and so many occasions on behalf of the bank. He made himself handy to the Management. It was not so easy. He is a player of big match.

 

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.

- Helen Keller

Chapter 13 : Wide Wide World

Haider’s world became wider day day. He was promoted to the post a Deputy Managing Director on 1^st July 2008. It was a solid gain in his life.

After a short period he was promoted to Additional Managing Director of the Bank on 01^st March 2011. His fields became wider. His reposibility became greater.

At that time he got the opportunity to discharge his duty as a Managing Director (Current Charge). It was a different experience for him and was a new jewel to his career.

This opportunity prepared him to take the further responsibility. It actually gave him a room to prepare himself for a great job

Besides those he anchored all the social and cultural programs of the bank. Not only this, but also he is a regular vocal of Radio, Television and any of visual media. A prolific writer and a loud vocal Haider can always remain a whole day without taking a bit of rest but he can not pass even a single day without any good deed. For him, life is more than butter and bread.

Peace demands the most heroic labor and the most difficult sacrifice. It demands greater heroism than war. It demands greater fidelity to the truth and a much more perfect purity of conscience.

- Thomas Merton

Chapter 14 : Prevention for Perfection

Haider became the Managing Director & CEO of the bank on 24^th July 2012. The greatest achievement in his life came at last.

This position opened ample opportunities to him. But such a man like him always keep themselves vary vary far from any prejudice or privilege. He is still performing his duties with great courage and without any question.

Everybody in the bamk likes him a lot. Even those people who hav lost his job from this organization have no objection against him. 

Haider has already completed three years as an MD & CEO. During his era he faced a lot of internal and external situations. But his prudence and patience helped him to face all the issues. He proved himself inevitable. He is now at the zenith of his success. His position not only as an Honorable MD & CEO but also an Islamic scholar has already been established. He is like a star in the banking world. He is a man of self dependent. His legacy cost nothing but buys everything.

 

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.

- Socrates

Chapter 15 : Know Thyself

It is time to look back. It is time to go through the past life. It is time to enjoy the present. It is time to revise the life. It is time to mend and to bend. Really it is time to add, to deduct, to divide and to multiple. It is time to be a

So far you observe he is still a student of the school of this world. Till today and everyday he is learning new things. He is restless and always deploying his effort to do something different. He believes in excellence. His all out effort for being a good human being is praiseworthy. Haider always try to evaluate himself. Never be outraged and always try to realize the reality. He is such a man who cannot be biased by any ill motif or ill direction. Allah gives him the power to judge and to ensure justice. Personally, I believe that in fine he will be awarded by Allah for such a type of quality insha Allah. The people who know him must be agreed upon this opinion.  

Do not dwell in the past; do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

- Buddha

Chapter 16 : Leap to Leave itself

There is a piece of cloud, a slit of cotton or a torn bit of paper which only wants to fly. Haider also possesses it. His wishes want to fly in a higher sky. His hopes want to cross its boundary. He wants to leap to leave himself.

Nothing exceptional. Everybody wants. So Haider also. Along with his working pressure through all the day, Haider is also ravaged by nostalgia. He sometimes remember the poem of W. H Davis -

What is this life?

If full of care

We have no tome to stand and stare

No time to beneath the boes

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

But it is for a little moment. He then again engaged himself with vast jobs. His works are like an ocean. Through finishing it he tried to be relief. But nothing changes. More works followed. Haider likes to leap to leave itself. Through this way, crossing many bars, he is approaching to achieve more new targets every day.

Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love.

― Maulana Zalaluddin Rumi

Chapter 17 : Self actualization

Now it it is time to feel free from every clumsiness. It is time to realize the achievements. Haider’s wining awards is the sign of his success. Roads were named after him. A lot of publication on him confirms its preciousness. He is still in a full pace. His only need is self actualization now.

Haider likes to do welfare for human being. He is conscious about his responsibility to the society. His feelings for the depressed and distressed make him a man at the next door. He is indomitable in doing social responsibilities. His flight of good wishes is always in the sky. His dream to be a friend of mankind never ends. His effort of doing welfare needs no recognition. He has already become a living legend in this respect. He considers every trifle things. He likes to be familiar and a family guy. He never wants to be an alien. Haider is a man of reality and rationally. We can call him on anytime, anywhere and any way. He has nothing to expect in his life. Already he is full to the brim. He always tries to maintain this gift of Allah.  

Chapter 18 :  A short note on Haider penned by his beloved wife

Haider always tried to evaluate the reality of his life as a human being. He always asked himself some questions-Who I am, why I am, What I am, etc. This type of natural instinct which lies in him very silently has made him such an indomitable man. Haider’s real strength actually lies in him. He is a visionary man with strong command over his surroundings.

Those who can remember himself commented on him with many a good memory which proves his potentiality in him at the very early of his life. I have heard from many of Haider’s close associates, relatives and well wishers. He is a man beyond ones expectation. He can forget the bad incidents easily. He can forgive any offense very indifferently. If anything seems very hard to anybody Haider feels very comfort there. I have never seen such a man who never feel tired, feel weird and always try to keep a good slice of smiles in his face which ensures that he is one of the happiest men in the world. 

A good narrator, a fluent speaker who touches every nook and corner of an issue and can draw a good summary and substance always marks his presence within the gathering of thousands of splendid suns. Haider is such a man who can be borne in mind for a long time.

 A pious man, a good father, a passionate husband, aesthetic in nature, ascetic in kind, stylish in lifestyle, Haider can win any game easily. He is an open challenger who is confirmed about his success and amassed a lot in his life. So, it is very hard to be prelude by Haider’s enchanting personality.

Chapter 19 : I am Haider (From the desk of the man)

“It is easy to live for others, everybody does. I call on you to live for yourself.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life is nothing but the collection of some moments, memories, success, failure, joy and sorrows. As a human being I am not beyonfd these eternal issues. But I always liked to inscript my path on a metal plate.

I do not know whether I am a man of failure or a man of success. But I still know I have many personal failue which are specially possessed by me only. Nobody can claime that he is unqualified. I am not an exception.

I have already passed at least 55 springs of my life. There were winters and summers and rainy seasons also. I was overwhelmed with joy as well as cried in silence. I enjoyed the flavour of success at the same time tanged the salty state of failure. Overall I am a man of flesh and blood, bone and skeleton.

Actually, I am Haider. I am as I really am. I am nothing but a man made of trifle things. But I always possess a desire in my mind that we all can make us valuable by our good deeds. I am a commuter in this periphery.

      

I think and think for months and years. Ninety-nine times, the conclusion is false. The hundredth time I am right.

- Albert Einstein

Chapter 20 : Conclusion

Actually, on behalf of me, there is no chance to draw any conclusion to ones’s ongoing life. But for the sake of this story I have an urgency to draw a conclusion of this writing. Everybody should have a sense on an ending.

 

Epilogue

I not only know but also believe that haider will continue whether I write on him or not. He is such a passenger who needs not to wait for a train. He had his own vehicle to move. He had his own wings to fly. He can think, can write, can talk and can imagine. He has the ability to take the decision. He has the ability to count the situation. He possesses childish simplicity. He bears the courage to say the right things. He has the ability to endure a lot. He has the patience to get the result. He is pertinent enough to any issue.

So, it is a great pleasure for me to do such an idiotic job to write about such a great man like Haider because I trust that only an idiot like me can do such a type of terrific job. Oh, yes, I should be grateful to them who always tried to indulge me for being with him. Without them it was impossible for me to be such passonate for him. People always like to love someone where they feel constraints. To the easiest thing we always possess zero feeling.

  I always had and still have a great feeling for him after my father. So, it will not be so enough to tell him as one of the most rational men I have ever seen. His feelings for me was never been tangible but always been felt from the very core of my heart. I never felt the necessity to tell him any of my feeling but he always felt it in such a natural way that it seemed to anybody that it was somehow conveyed to him. May be this is the greatest mutual relationship I have ever found in my life.

A life is like a river and I confess that there are many untold events in this brief effort. At the time of going through of this errorneous work, it may also increase the anguish of the man behind the story. So, I am always in a position to say sorry to everybody and especially to him. 

Chronological Haider

16^th September 1957: Haider born in Manikganj district (former Dhaka District)

1973: SSC from Ibrahimpur I.C. High School, Manikgonj

1975: HSC from Govt. Devendra College, Manikgonj

1978: B. Sc. from University of Dhaka 

1979: M. Sc. from University of Dhaka

1998: PGD in Islamic Banking and Insurance from Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance, London, UK

1999: DAIBB from Institute of Bankers, Bangladesh 

1999: MBA from London Institute of Technology & Research, UK

2001: Gold Medal by the Chairman of EXIM Bank

2002: Gold Medal by the Chairman of EXIM Bank

2004: Gold Medal by the Chairman of EXIM Bank

2008: Ph. D from American World University, California, USA

1^st July 2008: Promoted to Deputy Managing Director

1^st March 2011: Appointed as Additional Managing Director

24^th July 2012: Designated as Deputy Managing Director & CEO

December 2014: A public road with immense importance was named on him.

Haider at a glance

Managing Director  & CEO

Export Import Bank of Bangladesh Limited

Head Office: “Symphony” Plot #, SE (F) 9, Road # 142

Gulshan Avenue, Gulshan, Dhaka.

Personal Information:

Father’s Name : Alhaj Mohammed Arshad Ali

Mother’s Name : Hamida Begum

 

Permanent Address  : Vill: Ramarbagh, PO: Mirzanagar, PS: Ashulia, Upzilla: Savar, Dist: Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Date of Birth & Place : 16/09/1957, District: Manikgonj (former Dhaka District).

Nationality : Bangladeshi

Religion : Islam (Sunni)

Marital Status : Married

Spouse : Wife : Sahera Khatoon, M. Sc. & Senior Lecturer, Manarat International College, Gulshan, Dhaka.

Children : One son &  two daughters.

Language known : Bengali, English and Arabic.

Banking experience : About 32 years

Interest : Games, Music, Reading, Gardening & Swimming.