Agora is a Bangladeshi

retail Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholesaler, and t ...

superstore that operates a

chain A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A c ...

hypermarket A hypermarket (sometimes called a hyperstore, supercentre or superstore) is a big-box store combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including ...

s, discount department stores, and

grocery store A grocery store ( AE), grocery shop ( BE) or simply grocery is a store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday U.S. usage, however, "grocery store" is a synonym for supermarket, a ...

s. Headquartered in

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...

, Bangladesh, the company was founded by Rahimafrooz Superstores Ltd. in 2001, and it was the pioneer and largest retail-superstore in Bangladesh.

History

Agora was founded in Dhaka on 2001 by Rahimafrooz Superstores Ltd of Rahimafrooz group. In 2006 Agora was fined 100 thousand taka by Mobile court over food safety. By 2008, it had 4 superstore retain branches in Dhaka. The store uses 50 thousand rural farmers and traders to supply itself. In 2011, the store opened its first branch in Chittagong. The same Agora acquired rival brand PQS in Dhaka. By 2012, Agora had 10 branches in Bangladesh. Agora branch in Mohammadpur was fined in 2013 and again in 2014 for selling stale vegetables. In 2015, Agora won the best retail brand award by Bangladesh Brand Forum. On 15 May 2016, Agro and other superstores closed their stores in protest over fines issued by Bangladesh Food Safety Authority for selling date expired food on 12 May 2016. The Shantinagar branch manager Monirul Islam of Agora was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment by the mobile court of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority.

Acquisition of Softlogic Holdings

Sri Lankan conglomerate Softlogic's retail holdings wing entered into an agreement on the 4th of March, 2022 to fully acquire Agora, according to public disclosure by the Lankan conglomerate. The acquisition of a 100% stake in the company via a series of transactions would be subject to terms and conditions set out therein and receipt of regulatory approvals, Softlogic Holding PLC said in its regulatory filing in

Colombo Stock Exchange The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) ( si, කොළඹ ව්‍යාපාර වස්තු හුවමාරුව, translit=Kolamba Vyapara Vasthu Huvamaruva; ta, கொழும்பு பங்கு பரிவர்த்தனை) i ...

. Neither Softlogic nor Agora owners disclosed the deal value. Investment banking sources, however, estimate that the amount might be something between Tk181 and Tk249 crore, citing previous events.

References

External links

* Retail companies based in Dhaka Retail companies of Bangladesh Bangladeshi companies established in 2001 Retail companies established in 2001 {{Bangladesh-org-stub