Ragib Ali
Ragib Ali is a Bangladeshi-born British industrialist, pioneer tea-planter and educationalist. He is also associated with banking and insurance companies, and many other businesses. He is the founder of Leading University, Sylhet. In 2017, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption by the lower court, but later on was granted bail by the Supreme Court, Dhaka.
Early life
Ali was born in Talibpur, Kamal Bazaar, Bishwanath, Sylhet District, Bengal Presidency. He was one of nine siblings, having eight brothers. Ali received his education in what is now Bangladesh, attending the Raza G.C High School and College of Sylhet. In 1956, at the age of 20, he relocated to the United Kingdom to pursue higher education.Career
In 1961, after completing his education Ali started being involved in business. Once in the UK, he transformed himself from an ordinary waiter to a leading entrepreneur. He still has links with UK through his family members, who live in London as well as in Bradford, where majority of his father's family now live in.Ali is the chairman of Sylhet Tea Company Ltd. and several other tea estates in Sylhet and Chittagong. He is also the managing director of Kohinoor Industries Ltd. He is the chairman of Southeast Bank Limited. He has played a pioneering role in the tea industry. He is involved in charitable activities and has set up numerous trusts and educational institutions.
Ali is the founder chairman of Jalalabad Ragib-Rabeya Medical College. He is also the immediate past chairman of North South University Foundation. He is also the founder of Leading University and University of Asia Pacific. He also contributed in many schools and established many colleges around Bangladesh.