| Rokia Afzal Rahman | |
| Native Name: | রোকেয়া আফজাল রহমান |
| Native Name Lang: | bn |
| Nationality: | Bangladeshi |
| Death Place: | Singapore |
Rokia Afzal Rahman (– 5 April 2023) was a Bangladeshi banker and entrepreneur. She was the first woman bank manager in Bangladesh.[1] She served as one of advisers of the Caretaker government of Bangladesh in 2001.[2] [3]
Rahman worked in the banking sector until 1980. She then started an agro-business, R.R. Cold Storage Limited which was involved in importing and exporting of potatoes and storage of seeds and potatoes.[1] She then bought another agro-business company, Imaan Cold Storage Ltd.[1]
In 1994, Women Entrepreneurs Association (WEA) in Bangladesh was formed with 150 members and Rahman was the founding president.[4] In 1996, she founded Women in Small Enterprises (WISE) to promote the role of women in small enterprises and industries.[1]
Rahman served in the Latifur Rahman ministry from 15 July 2001 to 10 October 2001.[5]
Rahman was the chairman of the board of directors of the Asian University for Women Support Foundation in Bangladesh.[6] She was the founding president of Bangladesh Federation of Women Entrepreneurs[7] [8] and the chairperson of MIDAS Financing Limited.[9]
Rahman was the chairperson of Mediaworld Limited, the holding company of The Daily Star. She used to own shares in ABC Radio.[10]
Rahman was a board member in several organizations including BRAC, MIDAS, Manusher Jonno, BFF, MRDI, Smiling Sun, Health21.
Rahman died at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital in Singapore on 5 April 2023, at the age of 82.[11] She had two sons and a daughter.[12]