The Marana Group was established in the newly independent Bangladesh in 1973, but the roots of this multi-sector conglomerate date back to the early part of the 20th century.
The entire Indian subcontinent, stretching from the unforgiving highlands of Gilgit-Baltistan in the northwest, to the maritime port of Chittagong in the southeast was occupied by the British. The city's importance as a major route of trade and commerce in South Asia had been established well before the British arrived. This occurred before Columbus discovered America in 1492. Records have proven Arab and Chinese traders plying the southern Silk Route, and trading at the port as early as the 9th century.
The people of Chittagong are recognised for their enterprising yet understated manner with regards to trade and commerce. The instinct for business coupled with the desire to excel has been passed down through generations of the "Chadtgaiya" entrepreneurial class. Amanat Khan was a prominent member of Chittagong society. His philanthropic activities in the education sector saw him appointed as one of the first Indians as a member of the Legislative Assembly under the British, despite being of the independence-minded Swaraj Party. Amanat Khan was the grandfather of the present group CEO of Marana, Nahar Khan.
Mr. Amanat Khan was an active trader by the standards of the market, and maintained strong interests in the shipping industry as well; so it came as no surprise when he was appointed as the first chairman of the Chittagong Port Authority. This winning combination of visionary leadership, social commitment and targeted philanthropy has formed the cornerstone of the Marana Group's moral blueprint.
The thread laid down by the late Amanat Khan allowed the nascent Marana Group to expand. Marana Group began operations in the trading industry with shipping interests. It was in the heady days that followed the founding of Bangladesh. In less than four decades, Marana has grown into a large conglomerate with a significant presence in fields as diverse as oil & gas, power, mining, telecommunications, instrumentation, shipping and logistics, media, manufacturing and trading, with a footprint that is increasingly global.
An expansion strategy underpinned by diversification runs the risk of quality dilution. The companies within the Marana family have managed to avert this hazard by continually holding specialised human resources at a premium. Staff's personal development is held as integral to an unwavering commitment toward adhering to the group's corporate positioning our Group as a Bangladeshi conglomerate with a truly international outlook.
At the heart of this vision is an unshakeable faith in Technology for Empowerment (TFE); serving as an unprecedented force for delivering a level playing field in global commerce. We are ready, willing, and able to render a distinctly Bangladeshi touch to humanity's story of progress. Marana Group continues to engage strategies to define, distinguish and differentiate Bangladesh on its own merits.