Mohammad Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan (Manik) is a Bangladeshi businessman, sports organizer, and politician. He is the chairman of Toma Group, a major Bangladeshi conglomerate.[1] He is the Vice-President of Bangladesh Football Federation, the associate of FIFA in Bangladesh.[2]
Career
Bhuiyan established Toma Group in 1996 with the start of Toma Construction & Co. Limited.[3] Bhuiyan is the chairman of Toma Group.[4] He signed an agreement with Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited in April 2014 which would allow the customers of the bank to pay for Toma taxies with their cards.[5] His Toma Group is one of two exclusive contractors of Bangladesh Railway, the other is Max Group.[6] Toma Construction was building Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover when a pedestrian died in an accident despite which the company failed to improve on safety.[7][8]
Bhuiyan bought nominations for Vice-President of Bangladesh Football Federation on 8 September.[9] He was elected the Vice-President of Bangladesh Football Federation in October 2020 under the Samonnya Parishad of president Kazi Salahuddin.[10][11] The Bangladesh Football Federation was founded on 15 July 1972 by Muhammad Yusuf Ali, the country's former Minister for Education, Culture and Sport.[12] He organized an iftar for the vulnerable population during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.[13] He is the chairman of Bangladesh Football Federation Development Committee.[14] He is the convenor of BFF Professional League Management Committee's sub committee.[15] He signed an agreement with InterContinental Dhaka to make it the official hosting partner of Bangladesh Football Federation.[16] In December 2021, he accorded a reception to the Swadhin Bangla' Football team.[17]
Bhuiyan is the Vice-President of the Noakhali District unit of Awami League.[18] His appointment to Vice-President was criticised by Abdul Quader Mirza, brother of Awami League General Secretary, Obaidul Quader.[19] Mirza accused Bhuiyan of being close to Hawa Bhaban, the political office of Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia.[19] Mirza also criticised Bhuiyan's fellow vice-president of Noakhali District unit of Awami League, Zabed Minhaj Ahmed Zabed who is the younger brother of former Bangladesh Army chief Moeen U Ahmed for not having enough links to Awami League.[20] On 11 December 2019, Bhuiyan sued MG Kibria Chowdhury and another journalist of Dainik Jatio Arthonitee who alleged he had links to Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir in their newspaper under the Digital Security Act.[21] The journalists were arrested on 6 January 2020.[21]