Book Description

Khuda Buksh, the Pioneer of Life Insurance in Bangladesh is the story of a wizard of insurance who believed passionately in a cause and dedicated his life to it. Buksh chose to serve humanity by sparking a movement in life insurance from 1935-1973 in three countries--India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh--even during political unrest. Revealing a forgotten era in the history of Bangladesh and Pakistan, this biography showcases how Buksh worked tirelessly to establish a life insurance business while overcoming religious and cultural prejudices against the industry. Furthermore, his passion, devotion, and unique sales strategies led him to train, motivate, and manage thousands of salesmen during his career. Buksh's leadership and management style, including business practices developed in India that he introduced to his homeland, East Bengal, are a huge part of the legacy he left. When Buksh became a manager at Eastern Federal Union Insurance Company Limited (EFU), he used inventive techniques to recruit and motivate his sales force and challenge the public's negative perception of life insurance. Finally, he earned a reputation as the country's most magnetic and dynamic sales executive and the wizard of life insurance. Drawing from interviews with dozens of contemporaries as well as years of research, author Muhammad Obaidur Rahim, who is also Buksh's son, traces the roots of life insurance evaluation and development and leadership strategies that helped the industry penetrate nearly every part of society. Along the way, the readers will get a close look at Buksh's involvement in establishing regional rights. For students and scholars specializing in South Asian studies or international business relations, Buksh's story provides a vivid portrait of political and social changes and demonstrates how the life insurance industry influenced a critical period in the history of the Indian subcontinent. The book may also interest professionals interested in studying executives and management techniques.