Jump to full article: Financial Express (bd), 2008-02-29
Author: Mushir Ahmed
Intro: Bangladesh braces for the fiercest tobacco war in less than two months' time when volume leader Akij will launch Marlboro in the country, hoping to end the decades-long dominance by British American Tobacco.
Akij's young managing director Sheikh Bashiruddin would not say when exactly the world's biggest tobacco brand will be launched, but add success of Marlboro would be vital for making the sprawling Group a billion dollar company by 2012.
"Marlboro is a premium tobacco brand leader across the globe. I don't see why it would not grab the leadership in Bangladesh," the 37-year chief said. . . .
Akij is launching the global tobacco leader Philip Morris's brand as a franchisee. The US-based world's largest tobacco company has audited and validated the factory where the premium brand would be produced using imported roasted tobacco.
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