Staff Reporter : The ‘Leather Industry Changemaker Award 2025’ has been presented in recognition of outstanding contributions to Bangladesh’s leather and footwear sector. Organised by ASK Trade & Exhibitions and Footwear Exchange, the 1″ edition of this event honoured two pioneering individuals and three organisations for their remarkable achievements in leather industry. Former chairman of Apex Group and a leading figure in the leather industry, the late Syed Manzur Elahi, was posthumously awarded for his lifelong contribution.
The grand ceremony was recently held on Friday, 5 December, at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB). Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, attended the event as the chief guest. Other distinguished guests included Mohammad Saiful Islam, chairman of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC); Md Sanwar Jahan Bhuiyan, secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment; along with top industry leaders, policymakers, young professionals, and delegates from China, India and Pakistan’s leather sectors.
Awards were presented across five categories for significant contributions to Bangladesh’s leather and footwear industries. In recognition of his lasting impact, the late Syed Manzur Elahi received the Legacy of Excellence Award. Additionally, AKM Moshphiqur Rahman, managing director of Accenture Footwear & Leather Industries Ltd, received the Emerging Changemaker Award.
Among the organisations, MAF Shoes won in the Process Efficiency category; SAF Industries Limited received the award for Sustainable Practice; and Step Shoe Last & Accessories Co Ltd was honoured in the Support Services category.
The event also featured a panel discussion titled ‘Localization 360: Materials, Tech, Future,’ which explored the future direction and opportunities within the leather sector. The session was moderated by Firoz Alam, Head of Project at GIZ.
The panelist included Syed Mushfequr Rahman, Member (VAT Audit) of National Board of Revenue (NBR); Shamim Kabir, Managing Director of Step Shoe Last & Accessories Co Ltd; Md Nasrullah, Head of International Business, Apex Footwear Ltd; Md Golam Shahnewaz, Managing Director of DTIEWTPCL (CETP) and Md Ariful Hoque, Investment Expert and former Director General of BIDA.