Tribute to Shahed Noman
Shahed Noman, the former Managing Director of Dhaka Bank Limited and Chairman, Financial Excellence Limited (Finexcel), died of a massive heart attack in the late evening of February 24, leaving his wife and two sons along with thousands of friends and well wishers behind.
He was not just a banker, that's why we saw so many people thronging to his home very late in the night, and so many people attending his Namaz e janaza next day. I was asking myself when and how this extremely calm and quite gentleman had won so many friends and well wishers to appreciate his fraternity, integrity, warmth and fellowship.
I came to know Shahed Noman when I joined ANZ Grindlays Bank. We never worked directly with each other, yet we were always in touch, even after my joining Standard Chartered, Citibank and his leaving ANZ, joining Merrill Lynch in Geneva and afterwards Dhaka Bank Ltd. However, we dreamt together to build up the country's first advocacy, advisory and organisational development institution dedicated to the financial sector -- FinExcel.
He was one of the most genuine people I have ever met. Even though he held many senior positions, he never showed any pride or snobbishness about it. He was a perfect gentleman, soft-spoken but with subtle humour. He was very loving and always full of life. He loved me a lot, and I mean it with all sincerity. He guided me during many crises in my corporate life.
Born in 1951, Shahed Noman completed his SSC and HSC exams with first division from St. Gregory's High School and Notre Dame College respectively. He graduated with a first class from University of Dhaka in Commerce. Having completed MBA from Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Dhaka, he joined Grindlays Bank as a Management Trainee in 1975.
During the period with Grindlays he held various senior positions including Country Operations Manager, Head of Corporate Banking, Regional Manager, etc. He also worked overseas with the bank at Kathmandu, Melbourne and Mumbai. Prior to leaving Grindlays in 1998, he was the Chief Risk Officer for Bangladesh. Between 1999 and 2003, he was with Merrill Lynch, Switzerland.
He joined Dhaka Bank Ltd in 2003 as Managing Director/CEO and continued till 2008. Since 2009, he was involved in a garments export and manufacturing unit as the Chairman. He was also the Director of IIDFC Capital Ltd and was into agricultural product trading. In April 2010, with 5 leading local institutions and 9 distinguished individuals, he set up Financial Excellence Limited (FinExcel), of which he was the Chairman.
A man of few words, Noman bhai (many used to call him Shahed bhai and to his friends he was known as Sadi) never meant harm to anyone, and helped others silently without expecting any kind of reciprocity. He never fished for compliments or engage in ugly corporate confrontation, but he had a fantastic way of bypassing all that quietly, as if he did not understand anything. He may have suffered, but found his way out quietly, and knew when to stop.
He was a thorough gentleman with fine upbringing, a caring friend and brother without a loud presence. Enviably, he built a caring, well-knit successful family. I somehow thought this ever soft man had a suppressed emotion towards life and never expected, demanded or grabbed anything in life.
He will be missed by many including his ever crying friend (since his death), Wali Bhuiyan, Kaiser Chowdhury, along with the people who were benefited through him. I salute dearest Noman bhai, my silent well-wisher and mentor. May Almighty grant him eternal peace. My regards and condolences to his exemplary family -- most admired Ruma bhabi and two great sons. Shahed Noman will be greatly missed by all of us.
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