{{Short description|Bangladeshi businessman}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Samson H. Chowdhury | native_name = স্যামসন এইচ চৌধুরী | native_name_lang = bn | image = Samson_H._Chowdhury.jpg | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date|1925|09|25|df=y}} | birth_place = Gopalganj, British India | death_date = {{death date and age|2012|1|5|1925|9|25|df=y}} | death_place = Singapore | occupation = Industrialist | years_active = 1952–2012<ref name="thedailystar1">{{cite news |title=Samson H Chy no more |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=34898 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=1926-02-25 |accessdate=2012-01-05}}</ref> | alma_mater = Scottish Church College<br />Harvard University<br />University of Dhaka<ref name=PaidObit>{{cite web | url=http://www.worldfolio.co.uk/region/asia/bangladesh/samson-h-chowdhury-bangladesh-n1817 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328171838/http://www.worldfolio.co.uk/region/asia/bangladesh/samson-h-chowdhury-bangladesh-n1817 | url-status=usurped | archive-date=28 March 2013 | title=In Loving Memory of Samson H. Chowdhury, one of the greatest entrepreneurs the world has ever known | publisher=Worldfolio |date=25 September 2013}}</ref> | awards = Ekushey Padak (Social Service), 2013 }}
'''Samson H. Chowdhury''' ({{langx|bn|স্যামসন এইচ চৌধুরী}}; 25 September 1925 – 5 January 2012) was a Bangladeshi business magnate.<ref>[http://www.squarepharma.com.bd/chairman-profile.php The Founder Chairman's Profile of Square Group] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014105733/http://www.squarepharma.com.bd/chairman-profile.php |date=14 October 2014 }}</ref> He was the chairman of Square Pharmaceuticals.<ref>[http://www.squarepharma.com.bd/ChairmansProfile.html Square Group] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110116093129/http://www.squarepharma.com.bd/ChairmansProfile.html |date=16 January 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Islam |first=Sirajul |year=2012 |chapter=Chowdhury, Samson H |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Chowdhury,_Samson_H |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=Asiatic Society of Bangladesh}}</ref>
==Personal life==
Samson H. Chowdhury was born on 25 September 1925.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.squarepharma.com.bd/chairman-profile.php |title=Founder Chairman's Profile |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014105733/http://www.squarepharma.com.bd/chairman-profile.php |archivedate=14 October 2014 |accessdate=2014-10-25 }}</ref> at Aruakandi in Gopalganj. While Mr. Samson completed his studies he went to Mumbai and started his career as an employee of the Naval Recruiting Agency. In Second World War, he served in the Royal Navy.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Khan |first=Md Rahat |date=December 2019 |title=Samson H. Chowdhury: a true entrepreneurial leader for Square Group |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338206867 |journal=EuroMed Journal of Management|volume=3 |issue=2 |page=80 |article-number=104323 |doi=10.1504/EMJM.2019.104323 }}</ref> After completing education at the Scottish Church College in Kolkata, India,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.shaptahik-2000.com/?p=110 |title=Salute Corporate Icon Samson H Chowdhury |website=shaptahik-2000.com |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130624211438/http://www.shaptahik-2000.com/?p=110 |archive-date=24 June 2013 |access-date=2017-01-04 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> he returned to the then East Pakistan and settled at Ataikula village in Pabna District, where his father was working as a medical officer. Then he married Anita Biswas (Later Chowdhury) at the age of 22.<ref>{{Cite web|title=22 Unusual Facts To Know About Samson H Chowdhury of Square – Future Startup|date=August 2015 |url=https://futurestartup.com/2015/08/01/22-unusual-facts-to-know-about-samson-h-chowdhury-of-square/|access-date=2021-12-02}}</ref> In 1952, he started a small pharmacy in Ataikula village, which is about 160 km off capital Dhaka in the north-west part of Bangladesh. Chowdhury then ventured into a partnership pharmaceutical company with three of his friends in 1958. When asked why the name Square was chosen he remembers – "'''We named it SQUARE because it was started by four friends and also because it signifies accuracy and perfection meaning quality'''" as they committed in manufacturing quality.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
He served as a vice president of the Baptist World Alliance from 1985 to 1990. In addition to being a BWA vice president, Chowdhury served in other areas of the global Baptist organization, including on the BWA general council, the executive committee, the Baptist World Aid Committee, the Promotion and Development Committee, and the Memorial Committee. Chowdhury was elected president of the Bangladesh Baptist Church Fellowship (BBCF) a dozen times, and was honorary general secretary for 14 years, between 1956 and 1969. He was a president of both the National Church Council of Bangladesh and the National Evangelical Alliance.<ref name="baptistworldalliance">{{cite web |author=Baptist World Alliance News |url=http://www.bwanet.org/bwa.php?m=news&p=news_item&id=546 |title=Samson Chowdhury, former BWA vice president, has died |publisher=Baptist World Alliance |accessdate=2012-01-07 |archive-date=4 February 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120204041026/http://www.bwanet.org/bwa.php?m=news&p=news_item&id=546 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Burial ==
Samson H Chowdhury was buried at ASTRAS, Khamar in Kashipur, Pabna.
==Positions== * Chairman, Square Group * Chairman, Mutual Trust Bank board of directors<ref>[http://www.mutualtrustbank.com/about_bod_bio_chair.php Mutual Trust Bank] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219044840/http://mutualtrustbank.com/about_bod_bio_chair.php |date=19 December 2010 }}</ref> * Chairman, Astras Ltd. * Honorary Member, Kurmitola Golf Club, Dhaka * Former vice president, Baptist World Alliance, 1985-1990<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bwanet.org/bwa.php?m=news&p=news_item&id=546 |title=Baptist World Alliance |access-date=8 January 2012 |archive-date=4 February 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120204041026/http://www.bwanet.org/bwa.php?m=news&p=news_item&id=546 |url-status=dead }}</ref> * Former chairman, Micro Industries Development & Services (MIDAS) * Chairman, Transparency International, Bangladesh Chapter, 2004–2007 * President, Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Dhaka in 1996 and 1997 * Vice-president: International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh * Former director, The Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industries (FBCCI) * Member, Executive Committee of Bangladesh French Chamber of Commerce and Industry * Director, Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh<ref>[http://www.crab.com.bd/page2.php?id=11 Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh(CRAB)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213092116/http://www.crab.com.bd/page2.php?id=11 |date=13 February 2011 }}</ref> * Chairman, Central Depository Bangladesh Ltd * Member, Advisory Committee of the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries * Founder President, Bangladesh Association of Publicly Listed Companies * Chairman, Masrangaa Television, Bangladesh
==See also== * List of Bangladeshi people#Entrepreneurs * [https://www.samsonchowdhury.com/en/home.php Personal website of Mr. Chowdhury] * Square Pharmaceuticals
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chowdhury, Samson H.}} Category:1926 births Category:2012 deaths Category:Bangladeshi businesspeople Category:Recipients of the Ekushey Padak Category:Scottish Church College alumni Category:People from Pabna District Category:Harvard University alumni Category:People from Gopalganj District, Bangladesh