Mirza Abu Talib Ispahani visited England in 1799, and the family have maintained a presence and properties inRichmond, London. In 1820, Mohammed Hashim (1789–1850) moved fromIsfahan inQajar,Iran toBombay and established the Ispahani Group business. In the 1830s, the business extended toCalcutta inBengal. Hashim was notable as the first Muslim of the Assam Tea Company'sCalcutta Committee. The family business also expanded fromMadras in the south andBurma in the east. Many of their descendants were educated at English private schools and top universities in UK.[1]
Hashim's grandson, Mirza Mehdy (1841–1913) madeMadras as the business's headquarters. He spent twelve years inCairo,Egypt trading Indian produce such as leather, tea, turmeric, tamarind and peanuts amongst others. In 1888, he established a branch inDacca.[1]
Mirza Mohamed Ispahani was the son of Mehdy and was born in 1871. Mohamed established theCalcutta office of M.M Ispahani & Sons in 1900. In the same year, a branch office was also established inLondon.[2] Mohammed died in 1925.
Mirza Ahmad Ispahani (1898–1986), the eldest son, joined the partnership in 1918. He established the private limited company, M.M. Ispahani Limited in 1934 in Calcutta along with his younger brothersAbul Hassan Isphani and Mirza Mahmood Ispahani.
The final move of headquarters was made in 1947 with the shifting of the corporate headquarters toChittagong where it stands today.[3] The company continued to operate as a foreign company in Calcutta until 1965 when its operations in India were taken over by theGovernment of India. It was under the visionary leadership of Ahmad that the company rapidly expanded its business. By 1947, M.M Ispahani Limited was a leading exporter in shellac, kapok, hessian, jute bags, tea and chemicals. In 1948, Mirza Ahmad Ispahani left the family business for public service. When the family moved toEast Pakistan after thePartition of India, they purchased a vast swathe of land inDhaka'sMaghbazar area. The area was named the Ispahani Colony and continues to serve as the family's estate inDhaka.[4]
Mirza Ahmad Ispahani's son,Mirza Mehdy Ispahani (1923–2004) was made chairman of M.M. Ispahani Limited in 1949 and remained in that post until he died,[5] when his son Mirza Ali Behrouze Ispahani was elected chairperson of M.M. Ispahani Limited.[1]
The company now has corporate offices inChittagong,Dhaka andKhulna where it employs over 20,000 people in many sectors such as tea, textile, real estate, crisps, poultry, shipping and internet services.[3]
Mirza Mehdy Ispahani (1841–1913): Mehdy Ispahani was the grandson of Haji Muhammad Hashem (the patriarch of the House of Ispahani), who moved fromIsfahan,Iran toMumbai in 1820. Mehdy Ispahani established the company's corporate headquarters in Madras from Mumbai. Prior to that he spent twelve years in Cairo trading in leather, tea, turmeric, tamarind, peanuts and other Indian products. He also established a branch in Dhaka in 1888.[6]
Mirza Mehdy (Sadri) Ispahani(1923–2004): Sadri was made the chairman ofM. M. Ispahani Limited in 1949 and remained in that post until his death. He served as the chairman of thePakistan Jute Mills Association.[10][11] He co-founded with his father many institutions such as theIslamia Eye Hospital, M.A Ispahani Institute of Ophthalmology, Ispahani Public School and College, Mirza Ahmed Smrity Biddalaya, CJM High School, Waisia Darassuna Dakhil Madrassah, Mirza Ahmed High School, Victory High School, Comilla Public School and College, Ispahani Girls School and College (Dhaka), Siddeshwari (University) College. Sadri resided in the Ispahani Colony in Dhaka,[12] but died inBangkok in 2004 at the age of 81. He left behind his wife, Razia Ispahani, 5 sons, and 3 daughters.[13] Razia (Sultani) Ispahani died inLondon in 2017 at the age of 93.[14]
Mirza Salman Ispahani: Salman Ispahani became the chairman ofM. M. Ispahani Limited after the demise of his elder brother,Behrouze.[19] Salman was elected the chairman of theInternational Cotton Association for 2017–18. He was the firstBangladeshi and first cotton spinner/buyer to be elected the president of this association.[20] Salman was elected to the ICA Board of Directors in 2013. He is the former Chairman of the Tea Traders Association of Bangladesh, former chairman of the Chittagong Stock Exchange and was a member of the Bangladesh Cricket Board.[21] He is also the honorary consul ofItaly inChittagong.[22] Salman is also an avid golf player, playing in many national tournaments and hosts the annual Ispahani Cup golf tournament.[23]
Mirza Sajid Ispahani: Sajid Ispahani is a Chartered Accountant. He retired in 2019 but remains Chairman of Ispahani Foods Limited as well as a Director ofM. M. Ispahani Limited.[25] Sajid is also abridge player, who served as the captain of the national bridge team representingBangladesh in international tournaments.[26] He also has 2 sons, Ali and Hasan, who have both worked forM. M. Ispahani Limited.
Mirza Imran Ispahani: Imran Ispahani is a son ofSadri Ispahani and Sultani Ispahani. He is primarily based in the UK.[27] He is involved in the I.T industry and lives in Richmond.[28]
Farah Khanum Ispahani: One of the daughters ofSadri Ispahani and Sultani Ispahani. She, like her elder brothers was educated in London where she went to London University's School of African & Oriental Studies to study law. Subsequent to obtaining her degree, joined Freshfields in 1983, a leading firm of solicitors in London. In 1996 she was promoted to partner based in the UK, and now heads the corporate mergers and acquisitions team of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.[29]
Mirza Abul Hassan Ispahani(1902–1981): Mirza Abul Hassan (MAH) Ispahani was a son of Mirza Mohammad Ispahani. He completed his education from theSt John's College, Cambridge, where obtained a Bar-at-Law in 1924. MAH was one of the closest associates ofMuhammad Ali Jinnah (he is popularly known as the Quaid's Lieutenant). He metJinnah atCambridge in 1920 and developed a friendship with him. In 1937, at the request ofJinnah, MAH joined theBengal Provincial Muslim League and became its joint secretary. He was elected to theBengal Legislative Assembly from the party that same year. MAH was present in the 1941All-India Muslim League session held inMadras, where theLahore Resolution was incorporated into the party's charter. He served as the Deputy Mayor forCalcutta from 1941 to 1942 and the President of Muslim Chamber of Commerce, Calcutta from 1945 to 1947. In 1946, he was elected as a member of the Indian Constituent Assembly. After theindependence of Pakistan he served as the first Pakistani ambassador to theUnited States. His residence inWashington, D.C. was donated to thePakistani embassy, and is still used as the official residence of the Pakistani ambassador to theUSA. MAH also served as the high commissioner to theUK from 1952 to 1954. From 1954 to 1955 he served as theFederal Minister for Industries and Commerce. He served in his final diplomatic position from 1973 to 1974 as the Pakistani ambassador toAfghanistan, after which he retired from public work and became a writer.[30][31][32][33][34] MAH was married to Ameneh Sultan[35] and also to Begum Ghamar Ispahani, an Iranian citizen. She was the daughter of an Iranian diplomat. Ghamar Ispahani was a social worker who was a recipient of Pakistan'sNishan-e-Imtiaz and Italy's Cavalleri award. They were married during MAH's tenure as the Pakistani High Commissioner to theUnited Kingdom. As a result of this marriage, MAH had to resign from his diplomatic post because according to diplomatic law, a running diplomat couldn't be married to a foreigner. Ghamar Ispahani also served as a director of theEFU Life Insurance Company alongside her step-son Isky Ispahani, until 1989.[36] She also established a girl's orphanage inKarachi. She died in 2007 at the age of 90.[37]
Mirza Mohammad (Isky) Ispahani (1930-2013): Isky Ispahani was born inCalcutta in 1930 and completed his education from theUniversity of Cambridge. Isky Ispahani was initially based inEast Pakistan, where he had successfully established his business. However, after theBangladesh Liberation War, his assets were nationalized.[35][36] After he lost his assets inEast Pakistan, theShah of Iran personally requested him to establish a jute mill inIran. Isky Ispahani successfully established and administered the mill until that was also lost during the aftermath of theIslamic Revolution.[36] After that he permanently resettled inKarachi, where he was the head of the Pakistani branch of the Ispahani family business. He served as a director of theEFU Life Insurance Company alongside his step-mother, Begum Ghamar Ispahani, until 1989. Isky Ispahani was married to Akhtar Ispahani (a journalist), with whom he had four children (Iraj,Farahnaz, Mahnaz, and Lalehnaz). In his later years, after his divorce with Akhtar Ispahani, he married Shobha Ispahani. He died inKarachi in 2013.[35] His ex-wife, Akhtar, died in June 2020 in her early 80's. She died alone in her house atKarachi as all four of her children were abroad and unable to return toPakistan due to international travel restrictions because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[38]
Mirza Iraj Ispahani (b. 1960): Iraj Ispahani is the chief executive of Ispahani Advisory,[1] a London-based firm which specialized in advising company leaders on strategic management. He graduated from theUniversity of London in politics and history and then earned anMPhil in international relations from theUniversity of Cambridge. He joinedJP Morgan as a trainee in New York but returned toLondon a year later and served as a vice-president inJP Morgan. Iraj replaced his father, Isky Ispahani, in the board ofM.M. Ispahani in 2011. He is married to Eva-Kristiina Lindholm (who was also aJP Morgan banker) since 1994, with whom he has two children. They all reside inLondon. Iraj is also the deputy chairman ofShakespeare's Globe Theatre inLondon.[39][40]
Farahnaz Ispahani(b. 1963): Farahnaz Ispahani is a Pakistani politician, author, and human rights lawyer. She lived inLondon and completed her education fromWellesley College in 1985.[41] She served as a member of theNational Assembly of Pakistan from 2008 to 2012 from thePPP. She also served as the media advisor to PresidentAsif Ali Zardari before her seat was terminated due to her holding dual nationality.[42] Farahnaz is also a journalist and writer. She has worked withCNN,MSNBC,ABC News, and also authored a book called Purifying the Land of the Pure: Pakistan's Religious Minorities, which focused on the persecution of minorities inPakistan.[43] She is married toHusain Haqqani, the former Pakistani ambassador to theUnited States andSri Lanka.[30]
Mahnaz Ispahani: Mahnaz is a daughter of Isky Ispahani and Akhtar Ispahani. She was raised inBangladesh but studiedEnglish literature and political science inMassachusetts. She is an author, jewelry collector, and independent scholar specializing in South Asian affairs. She was a senior fellow for South and West Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. She has authored several books on international relations. Mahnaz spent 25 years working as a global foreign policy expert, which included a 10-year tenure at theFord Foundation. She launched a jewelry gallery inMidtown Manhattan in 2012 called Mahnaz Collection.[44][45]
Lalehnaz Ispahani: Lalehnaz Ispahani is a lawyer and advocate for democracy and human rights issues. She obtained her bachelor's degree fromHarvard College and her law degree from theGeorgetown University Law Center. Lalehnaz served as a senior policy counsel at theAmerican Civil Liberties Union working on racial justice and human rights for 6 years. She is currently the co-director of the Open Society Foundations-U.S.[46] She married Tapio Vaskio in 2005, the co-founder and managing director of Enterprise Research Group. He graduated from theUniversity of Helsinki and obtained amaster's degree in international relations fromColumbia University.[47] Laleh and Tapio have a 15-year-old daughter named Ameneh.
Mirza Zia Ispahani: Zia Ispahani is the youngest son ofMirza A.H Ispahani. He is a former diplomat who served as the Pakistani ambassador toSwitzerland andItaly in the 1990s.[34] He also served as a special envoy for the Pakistani government during the presidency ofAsif Ali Zardari, during which time he visitedBangladesh and spoke onbilateral relations.[48]
Mirza Mahmood Ispahani (1904–1991): Mirza Mahmood Ispahani was the youngest son of Mirza Mohammad Ispahani. He was married to Bibi Kuchik Kazerooni (1910-2000).[49] Mahmood shifted toWest Pakistan after thePartition of India, while his sons Alijoon and Khaleel shifted toEast Pakistan. He lived in Karachi[50] until his demise in 1991.[49]
Mirza Mohammad Ali Ispahani (1931–2019): Alijoon Ispahani was a son of Mirza Mahmood Ispahani and Bibi Kuchik Kazerooni. After thePartition of India he moved toEast Pakistan, while most of his family moved toWest Pakistan.[50] He studied inEngland until 1952, after which he returned toEast Pakistan and joined the Chittagong Jute Manufacturing Company, a subsidiary ofM. M. Ispahani Limited.[51] WhenPakistan hosted the International Jute Conference inDhaka in 1957, Alijoon attended it along with his cousinSadri Ispahani as members of thePakistan Jute Mills Association.[52] He is regarded as the most low-profile member of the Ispahani family. Being a linguist, he spokeEnglish,Bengali,Urdu, andFarsi. Alijoon Ispahani died inDhaka in 2019 at the age of 88.[53] He was married to Ameneh Ispahani, with whom he had 2 children.[50][54] Ameneh Ispahani is a granddaughter ofMirza Ismail, who served as the Diwan ofHyderabad,Jaipur, andMysore. Her mother, Shah Taj Begum, was the youngest daughter of Mirza Ismail.
Emaad Ispahani: Emaad Ispahani is the only son of Alijoon Ispahani and Ameneh Ispahani. He currently serves as a director ofM.M. Ispahani.[55] Emaad is married to Pooja Ispahani with whom he has two children.[54]
Mariam Ispahani: Mariam Ispahani is a private pilot and entrepreneur based in theSan Francisco Bay Area and serves as the CEO for the renewable energy company Saaze Corporation. She is also the head of a USA-Bangladesh bioplastics startup Sonali Bioplastics.[56]
Mirza Hashem Ispahani (1866-1943): Hashem Ispahani was a son of Mehdy Ispahani. He was born inBombay in 1866 and died in 1943 inTehran. He had four wives: Begum Soghra Ispahani, Bibi Fatimah Ispahani, Ismat Ispahani, and Maryam Khanum Ispahani. He had five children, the most notable being Justice M.A Ispahani.[59]
Mirza Ali Ispahani (1900-1982): Ali Ispahani was born in 1900 inCalcutta to Hashem Ispahani and Fatimah Ispahani. In 1947, he moved toDhaka,East Pakistan after thePartition of India along with his cousin Ahmad Ispahani. He served as a secretary in the Ministry of Law and later as the Chief Justice ofEast Pakistan from 1959 to 1962. M.A Ispahani used to live in Dhaka's Ispahani Colony, his family estate. He was married to Monirea Rashti Ispahani and had a son with her, Mirza Shahab Ispahani. He died in 1982 and was buried inDhaka.[60][61]
Mirza Shahab Ispahani: Shahab Ispahani was a son of Justice M.A Ispahani and Monirea Rashti Ispahani. He was born inCalcutta on 17 September 1941 but moved toDhaka,East Pakistan after thePartition of India. He moved toEngland in 1952 for his studies and qualified as a chartered accountant there. In 1962, he was allotted a piece of land in Road 75,Gulshan, where he constructed a two-storey house and named it Lismore Court. The house was rented to the British Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh while Shahab continued to live in the Ispahani Colony. In 1972, theGovernment of Bangladesh seized Lismore Court under the controversialEnemy Property Act. The Ispahani family negotiated with the government to release the property and Monirea Rashti Ispahani even visited the president in 1984. However, the negotiations failed and Shahab filed a case against the government and won back the property in 1985. TheGovernment of Bangladesh appealed the decision but the appeal was turned down. Shahab was represented by the prominent lawyerBarrister Rafique Ul Huq.[62]
^abcKarnowski, Wolfram W. (2001).The EFU Safa: The Making of an Institution Within the Context of the Creation of Pakistan. Karachi, Pakistan: M. Yunus, D&Y Printers. pp. 226–227.
