[2][3] Islam is famous for his contributions during the independence war of Bangladesh, as well as for his pivotal role in the economy and foreign affairs during the 1970's as cabinet minister and deputy chairman of the Planning Commission.
Islam has mentored many Bengali power players (including Prime Minister Fakhruddin Ahmed and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus).
Today, the Islam family is prominent in South Asian business, with significant holdings across manufacturing, construction, and financial services; the companies they own employ more than 60,000 workers.
[2] His father was a high school headmaster who had inherited several local businesses in the retail and financial services sectors, and his mother was a hereditary landowner's daughter.
At the request of the founding father, Islam spearheaded the 6-Point Programme, a list of economic demands presented to the Pakistani government prior to the struggle for independence.
Once he arrived in the United States, he began a concerted effort to negotiate with Henry Kissinger and others in Richard Nixon's government to alleviate US support for Pakistan, which was aligned to the American axis during the Cold War.
[citation needed] Post-independence, in December 1971, Islam was asked by the Sheikh to return home to help rebuild the war-torn, fledgling nation.
As a favorite of the Sheikh, Islam was also drawn into key foreign policy initiatives, as the Prime Minister worked to establish relationships with the major world powers of the time.
[citation needed] As the Sheikh consolidated his power in Bangladesh, several groups in the nation began to grow uneasy, feeling that he was heading down a path into dictatorship.
Seeking to further consolidate power, Sheikh Mujib asked Islam to assume an additional Cabinet Post, that of Finance Minister.
His family used his influence to grow into major players in garment manufacturing, plastics, packaging, construction, real estate, and consumer lending.