Transcom Group

Transcom Group, also referred to as Transcom Limited, is a Bangladesh-based diversified business group whose activities span consumer products, beverages, pharmaceuticals, food service, distribution, electronics, lighting, tea, publishing, radio and digital media. It is one of Bangladesh's older and larger business houses and has historically operated both through businesses it owns and through local representation, manufacturing, distribution or franchise relationships for international brands. The group's business history traces its roots to tea plantations established by Munshi Rahim Baksh in 1878. The family enterprise expanded under his nephew Khan Bahadur Waliur Rahman and later under Khan Bahadur Mujibur Rahman, whose activities included tea, jute and trading. The modern group emerged after the family's principal jute business, W. Rahman Jute Mills, was nationalised in 1972. Latifur Rahman established Transcom Group in 1973, and the family subsequently developed a more diversified industrial and service portfolio. The reference material also identifies Latifur Rahman, Saifur Rahman, Shahnaz Rahman and AS Mahmud as founders of the present-day Transcom Group of Companies in 1981, indicating a staged development from the earlier post-nationalisation enterprise into the current group structure. Transcom's consumer and industrial activities have included PepsiCo beverage and snack products, pharmaceuticals through Eskayef Pharmaceuticals, consumer-product distribution, electronics and lighting. Its local brand relationships have included Pepsi, 7Up, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Aquafina, Sting, KFC, Pizza Hut, Philips, Whirlpool, Maybelline, Garnier, Heinz, Frito-Lay, Lindt, Servier and Novo Nordisk, although the precise status of individual relationships can change over time. Eskayef has also been described as a manufacturing partner for Novo Nordisk products in Asia after China and India. The group has maintained a significant media presence. Its associated or controlled media interests include Prothom Alo, The Daily Star through Mediaworld, ABC Radio, Chorki, Biggan Chinta and Kishor Alo. These assets give the wider group exposure beyond traditional manufacturing and distribution, although media ownership and editorial operations are distinct from its commercial businesses. Transcom's corporate portfolio has included Transcom Beverages, Transcom Consumer Products, Transcom Distribution, Transcom Electronics, Transcom Foods, Reliance Insurance, Bangladesh Lamps, Bangladesh Electrical Industries, tea companies and other investment and trading entities. Bangladesh Lamps, founded in 1962 as East Pakistan Lamps, became part of Transcom in 1993 and has manufactured lighting products including fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps under the Transtec name. The group has been reported to employ more than 20,000 people, but the applicable year and current accuracy of that figure are not established in the supplied material. The group's former chairman and chief executive, Latifur Rahman, was recognised with the 2012 Oslo Business for Peace Award for commitments associated with social responsibility and ethical business conduct. He also held leadership or board roles in several Bangladeshi companies and organisations. In late 2024 and 2025, the group and members of the Rahman family became the subject of public allegations concerning ownership of a deceased family member's shares and alleged irregularities in documentation and handling of related complaints. These allegations should not be treated as established findings without independent judicial or regulatory confirmation.

Transcom Group's roots are traced to a family tea business begun in 1878 by Munshi Rahim Baksh, described in the reference material as the first Muslim individual to own and operate tea plantations in the subcontinent. His nephew Khan Bahadur Waliur Rahman expanded the enterprise, and the next generation, particularly Khan Bahadur Mujibur Rahman, enlarged the family's activities into tea, jute and trading. A major break came after the nationalisation of W. Rahman Jute Mills in 1972. Latifur Rahman established Transcom Group in 1973 in the aftermath of that event, redirecting the family enterprise toward a broader portfolio of industrial and service businesses. The present-day Transcom Group of Companies is also associated with the founding participation of Latifur Rahman, Saifur Rahman, Shahnaz Rahman and AS Mahmud in 1981. The two dates reflect the group's described transition from an earlier post-nationalisation business to a more formalised group structure. Over subsequent decades, Transcom diversified into pharmaceuticals, beverages, food products, distribution, electronics, electrical goods, restaurants, insurance and tea. It developed local operating relationships for international brands and became associated with PepsiCo beverages and products, KFC, Pizza Hut, Philips and other global companies. Eskayef Pharmaceuticals became one of its principal businesses and was described as a manufacturing partner for Novo Nordisk products. Transcom also expanded its industrial base through Bangladesh Lamps, an older lighting company acquired by the group in 1993. Bangladesh Lamps had originated in 1962 as East Pakistan Lamps and later produced fluorescent and compact fluorescent lighting, including Transtec-branded products. Media became another important area of activity. The broader group has been associated with Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, as well as ABC Radio and newer magazine and digital properties. These include Biggan Chinta, Kishor Alo and Chorki. The media portfolio made Transcom notable not only as a commercial conglomerate but also as a participant in Bangladesh's newspaper, radio and digital-content sectors. Latifur Rahman served as chairman and chief executive and held a number of external business and nonprofit roles, including positions associated with ICC Bangladesh, Nestlé Bangladesh, Holcim Bangladesh, National Housing Finance and Investments, Linde Bangladesh and BRAC. His 2012 Oslo Business for Peace Award recognised the ethical and social-responsibility principles attributed to his business leadership. The group's public profile was later affected by a family ownership controversy. In December 2024, a younger sister of Simin Rahman accused her of improperly obtaining their deceased father's shares using allegedly fraudulent non-judicial stamp documentation. A 2025 investigative broadcast made additional allegations involving people connected with the group's media interests and the handling of a related case. The available reference does not establish final legal findings, so the matter remains recorded as a reported controversy rather than a proven corporate violation.

• 2012

  Latifur Rahman receives Oslo Business for Peace Award

  [1]Transcom Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Latifur Rahman received the award for commitments associated with social responsibility and ethical values.

• 1993

  Bangladesh Lamps acquired

  [1]Transcom Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Transcom purchased Bangladesh Lamps, an electrical-lighting company established in 1962.

• 1981

  Present-day group structure founded

  [1]Transcom Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Latifur Rahman, Saifur Rahman, Shahnaz Rahman and AS Mahmud are identified as founders of the present-day Transcom Group of Companies.

• 1973

  Transcom Group established

  [1]Transcom Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Latifur Rahman established Transcom Group after the jute business was nationalised.

• 1972

  W. Rahman Jute Mills is nationalised

  [1]Transcom Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The nationalisation of the family's major jute business preceded the creation of the modern Transcom enterprise.

• 1878

  Family tea enterprise begins

  [1]Transcom Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Munshi Rahim Baksh began the family business activity through tea plantations.

A diversified Bangladeshi business house combining domestic manufacturing, distribution, consumer brands, franchised food service, plantations and media assets, with a strong role as a local partner for international companies.

• Pharmaceuticals

  Eskayef Pharmaceuticals

  Transcom's pharmaceutical business, Eskayef Pharmaceuticals, is one of the group's principal operating companies. The reference material describes Eskayef as a local pharmaceutical manufacturer and as the sole manufacturer in Asia, after China and India, for products of Danish insulin maker Novo Nordisk. The exact products and current scope of that relationship are not specified.

• Beverages

  Transcom Beverages

  Transcom Beverages has represented or operated PepsiCo beverage products in Bangladesh. The associated portfolio has included Pepsi, 7Up, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Diet Pepsi, 7up Light, Aquafina, Sting and Evervess. Individual distribution and bottling arrangements may vary by period.

• Consumer goods

  Transcom Consumer Products

  This business has been associated with distribution or representation of packaged-food and consumer brands including PepsiCo products, Mars, Conagra Brands, Kraft Heinz and related companies. The reference presents it as part of Transcom's consumer-products platform rather than as a single consumer-facing brand.

• Restaurants and food service

  Transcom Foods

  Transcom Foods operates the group's food-service interests in Bangladesh, including local operations associated with the KFC and Pizza Hut restaurant brands. These businesses extend Transcom beyond manufacturing and distribution into franchised or branded restaurant services.

• Lighting and electrical products

  Transtec lighting

  Bangladesh Lamps manufactures lighting products associated with the Transtec name. Its product history includes general lighting, fluorescent tubular lighting and compact fluorescent lighting. The reference states that CFL production began in 2008 and FTL production in 2011.

• Newspaper

  Prothom Alo

  Prothom Alo is a major Bangladeshi newspaper associated with the Transcom media portfolio. It represents the group's participation in national news publishing and is distinct from the group's industrial, pharmaceutical and consumer-products operations.

• Newspaper

  The Daily Star

  The Daily Star is an English-language Bangladeshi newspaper associated with Mediaworld, which is listed as an associate of Transcom Group. The relationship places the group within Bangladesh's newspaper-publishing sector.

• Radio broadcasting

  ABC Radio

  ABC Radio is a private FM radio business included among Transcom's media interests. It broadens the group's presence from newspapers and magazines into audio broadcasting.

• Digital streaming

  Chorki

  Chorki is an over-the-top digital content platform listed among the group's ventures. The supplied reference does not provide launch details, ownership percentages or current operating information.

• 2025

  Investigative allegations concerning the share dispute

  A May 2025 episode of Elias Hossain's Fifteen Minutes program alleged that Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman and The Daily Star's Mahfuz Anam assisted Simin Rahman unethically and that a related case was dismissed without investigation. These remain reported allegations in the supplied source.

  Source

• 2024

  Dispute over deceased father's shares

  In December 2024, Simin Rahman's younger sister accused her of embezzling or improperly obtaining their deceased father's shares through alleged fraud involving non-judicial stamps. The supplied material reports an accusation and does not establish a final court or regulatory determination.

  Source

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• 1993

  Acquisition of Bangladesh LampsM&A

  Background

  Bangladesh Lamps was an established lighting manufacturer founded in 1962 as East Pakistan Lamps.

  Action taken

  Transcom acquired Bangladesh Lamps and incorporated the lighting business into its wider industrial portfolio.

  Aftermath

  The company continued production of lighting products, including Transtec-branded fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps.

  Source

• 1973

  Diversification after jute nationalisationStrategy

  Background

  The family's major earning source, W. Rahman Jute Mills, was nationalised in 1972.

  Action taken

  Latifur Rahman established Transcom Group and developed interests across industrial and service sectors rather than relying on the former jute business.

  Aftermath

  The group expanded into pharmaceuticals, beverages, distribution, food service, electronics, lighting, tea and media.

  Source

1. 1Transcom Groupen.wikipedia.org