Rhythm Group eyes multinational expansion with focus on aviation, Terminal Three, industrial growth

Dhaka : Rhythm Group is targeting expansion into a multinational business by 2030, with its Managing Director Shohag Hossain placing aviation, airport ground handling, tourism, training, retail and manufacturing at the center of the group's growth strategy.

The diversified Bangladeshi business group, which traces its roots to the travel sector, currently operates 12 sister concerns and represents more than 30 international brands, according to Hossain.

The group's aviation interests include representation of Air India, Riyadh Air, Air India Express, Ethiopian Airlines, Hahn Air and Yeti Airlines. It is also pursuing opportunities in ground handling at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport's new Terminal Three through its joint venture with Swissport International.

Shohag Hossain

Hossain said the group's broader strategy is to use international partnerships and local capabilities to build businesses that can contribute to Bangladesh's aviation and industrial development.

Aviation remains at core

Rhythm Group's aviation business grew out of MAAS Travel and Tours Ltd, which Hossain described as a cornerstone of the group. Established in the early 1980s, the company has operated as an airline general sales agent and provides passenger and cargo representation services.

Over the years, the group expanded beyond traditional travel agency activities into airline representation and aviation-related services.

Hossain mentioned MAAS continues to benefit from the wider group's financial resources and cross-sector operations, while its aviation expertise remains an important part of Rhythm's business.

The group now sees airport services as another major area for expansion, particularly with the long-awaited opening of Terminal Three at Dhaka airport.

Swissport partnership, Terminal Three ambition

Rhythm Group is the local joint venture partner of Swissport International, a global airport ground services and air cargo handling company.

Through the partnership, the two companies are involved in airport ground services and related operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Hossain added Rhythm is now pursuing the ground-handling opportunity for Terminal Three.

The new terminal is expected to significantly increase the airport's passenger-handling capacity and introduce higher operational and service requirements.

Hossain noted the Swissport partnership could allow Rhythm to bring international ground-handling practices, technology and trained personnel into Terminal 3 operations.

The company's focus, he claimed, would cover areas including ground handling, passenger services and cargo operations.

The Terminal Three opportunity is particularly significant for Rhythm because it would expand the group's role from airline representation into a broader airport-services business.

Hossain expressed the group intends to use its partnership with Swissport to help raise operational standards while ensuring compliance with international safety and security requirements.

Expanding into aviation training

Rhythm is also looking at aviation training as part of its longer-term strategy.

The group is working with Ethiopian Aviation University to develop commercial pilot training and technical courses for aviation personnel in Bangladesh.

Hossain said the proposed training programs would focus on producing locally trained aviation professionals as the country's aviation sector expands.

The timing is linked closely to the expected growth in airport capacity and airline operations, particularly with Terminal Three coming into service.

Bangladesh currently relies on overseas institutions for a significant portion of specialized aviation training. Developing domestic training capacity could reduce the cost and time associated with sending personnel abroad while creating a larger pool of skilled workers for local airlines, airports and aviation-service companies.

Rhythm also sees the initiative as potentially creating a regional aviation education opportunity if Bangladesh can develop internationally competitive training facilities.

Hospitality enters growth plan

The group is also preparing to expand into hospitality.

Hossain said Rhythm is working to bring an international hotel management company to Bangladesh to develop and operate hotels aimed at business and leisure travelers.

The proposed expansion reflects the group's view that aviation and tourism should be developed as interconnected sectors.

Greater international connectivity and increased passenger movement through Dhaka could create additional demand for quality hotel accommodation, while a stronger hospitality sector could support Bangladesh's ambitions to attract more international visitors.

Details about the proposed hotel project, including its location and investment size, were not disclosed.

Titan partnership broadens retail business

Beyond aviation, Rhythm Group has established a growing presence in lifestyle retail through its partnership with Titan Company, part of India's Tata Group.

Hossain mentioned the partnership covers watches and jewelry and includes plans for both manufacturing and retail operations.

The group is developing a manufacturing facility at Meghna Economic Zone and is also involved in supplying products to Tanishq outlets, according to Hossain.

The Titan relationship complements Rhythm's other retail interests, including its Bangladesh partnership for Samsonite and American Tourister.

The group also operates businesses involving watches, optics and fragrances.

Hossain further expressed the retail strategy is designed to connect the group's businesses with the travel sector, arguing that consumers who travel  internationally also represent a natural market for luggage and other lifestyle products.

Manufacturing provides another pillar

Rhythm's business interests extend beyond travel and retail into industrial production.

One of its major manufacturing operations is Graphics Print and Pack Ltd, which Hossain described as a large automated offset printing and packaging facility serving corporate customers.

The group also has interests in textile mills and other industrial businesses.

According to Hossain, these operations provide the group with a manufacturing base while also creating opportunities to work with international industrial brands seeking entry into Bangladesh.

The group's industrial strategy is therefore not limited to serving its own businesses. It also aims to develop local distribution and manufacturing capabilities for global companies.

Looking beyond ticket sales

Hossain also added the group's evolution reflects a broader shift in how it views the travel and aviation business.

Rather than remaining focused solely on airline representation or ticket distribution, Rhythm is seeking to participate in several stages of the aviation and travel ecosystem.

Those areas include airline sales and representation, airport ground handling, cargo, aviation training, hospitality and travel-related retail.

The approach could allow the group to capture opportunities created by growth in international passenger traffic while reducing dependence on any single business segment.

For Bangladesh, Hossain believes the expansion of aviation infrastructure could generate opportunities well beyond airport operations.

He pointed to employment, technical training, tourism, manufacturing and international investment as        areas that could benefit    from a stronger aviation ecosystem.

Targeting 2030

Hossain's stated goal is to turn Rhythm Group into a multinational enterprise by 2030.

Over the next five years, the group plans to strengthen its aviation operations, pursue the Swissport ground-handling opportunity at Terminal Three, expand its Titan and lifestyle businesses, and grow its printing, packaging and industrial operations.

Training, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and hospitality are also identified as potential areas of investment.

The scale of the ambition will depend on the group's ability to execute multiple projects across sectors while maintaining its existing international partnerships.

For Hossain, those partnerships are central to Rhythm's growth model. The group has sought to position itself as a local platform through which international companies can enter or expand in Bangladesh.

He said the group's experience working with international airlines and brands has also demonstrated the importance of maintaining professional standards, regulatory compliance and long-term relationships.

After more than four decades in the travel business, Hossain said the trust built with international carriers, travel agencies, government institutions and employees remains one of the group's most important assets.

His longer-term objective extends beyond corporate expansion. He wants Rhythm to contribute to the development of Bangladesh's aviation and related industries by bringing international expertise into the country and creating more opportunities for local workers.

With Terminal Three expected to reshape Dhaka's airport capacity and Bangladesh's international travel market continuing to develop, Rhythm Group is betting that the next phase of growth will require more than airlines and airports.

It will require ground services, skilled manpower, hospitality, technology and supporting industries to grow alongside them.

That integrated approach now forms the basis of Rhythm Group's ambition to move from a predominantly travel-focused business into a broader multinational enterprise by the end of the decade.