Al Haramain Group hosts one of UAE’s largest Iftar gatherings

AJMAN: Al Haramain Group of Companies, which produces oriental and western perfumes such as Agarwood and Dehnal Oudh, fragrances, cosmetics and personal care products, hosted the largest Iftar in the UAE — attended by more than 5,000 guests who included dignitaries, diplomats and members of the Ajman Ruling Family.

In terms of sheer size, this was one of the largest corporate Iftar gatherings in the UAE this year. People from all walks of life, including staff members, community members and members of the Ajman Ruling Family graced the occasion.

“Ramadan is a month of spiritual reflection. Today we are gathering here to pray to the Almighty for showering His blessings for not only the Muslims, but all human beings,” Mohammed Mahtabur Rahman, Chairman of Al Haramain Group of Companies and Chairman of NRB Bank, said.

“Today, we gather here to extend our prayers for the strong leadership in the UAE that provides us security, safety and a wonderful environment for growth. I would like to extend our sincerest thanks to all the participants, customers, well-wishers, and above all, the members of Al Haramain Perfumes for the success of the Iftar programme.”

Al Haramain Group, which traces its roots to the holy city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia in the 1960s, has grown from strength to strength since its establishment of Al Haramain Perfumes in 1970. The company entered the UAE market in 1981 with a showroom and then a perfume manufacturing factory. Later, as business grew, the company continued to invest in its expansion.

It has a workforce of 3,000 professionals working in 20 companies spread across a number of business verticals including real estate, banking, tea garden, healthcare, education and perfumes manufacturing and retailing.

Its flagship company Al Haramain Perfumes and Al Halal Perfumes have 76 showrooms in 7 countries, managed by a team of 733 professionals deployed in three factories in the UAE. Al Haramain Perfumes produces 1,300 types of perfumes and cosmetics products that are marketed and sold in 65 countries.

“The UAE is a great enabler of business and we have grown phenomenally ever since we started our operations in the UAE in 1981,” Mohammed Mahtabur Rahman said, adding: “It is due to our decision to relocate to the UAE, that we managed to grow so fast.”

“We are one of the largest producers and exporters of locally-produced perfumes. Last year, we exported goods in 4,000 containers out of the UAE to 70 export destinations in 2022,” Mohammed Mahtabur Rahman said.

“Our strong performance during the Covid-19 pandemic reflects our inherent strength and resilience as well as our prudent management that helped us not only navigate out of the crisis, but also helped us to grow during these challenging times.

“We are a UAE-based company and have invested more than Dh1 billion in the UAE economy over the last 40 years. As our business grows, we are now looking forward towards a strong year of growth ahead. We have acquired more land in Ajman Industrial Area for expanding our manufacturing plant, adjacent to our corporate headquarters.”

Mahtabur Rahman is a seasoned businessman and involved in a broad range of business and trade ventures around the world. A far-sighted person, he diversified his business interests in banking, healthcare, hospitality, aviation, etc.

Mahtabur Rahman, who hails from Bangladesh, is also the President of Bangladesh Business Council in Dubai, President of the Non-Resident Bangladeshi (NRB) Commercially Important Persons (CIP) Association (NRBCIP Association) — a global platform of Bangladeshi High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) who have been investing in Bangladesh.

He is one of thousands of Non-Resident Bangladeshi nationals who collectively own more than 100,000 businesses in the UAE and employ more than 250,000 people — making them one of the largest business communities in the UAE. He is the first Non-Resident Bangladeshi to have been awarded a UAE Gold Visa in July 2019.

“I thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and Rulers of all emirates for their visionary leadership that makes the UAE a land of opportunity not only for the UAE nationals but for nationals of more than 200 countries who call the UAE their home,” he said.

“We have always maintained our firm belief in the UAE economy and the country’s leadership. Today, we have been rewarded for our belief, conviction and resolve. I am extremely lucky to be blessed with the kind support of His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Ajman. It is due to his kind support, we could relocate our head office to Ajman, build one of the largest agarwood processing industries in the Gulf in Ajman and grow our business manifold in the Middle East.”