Azizullah Badghisi was an Afghan entrepreneur and industrialist born in Badghis province in 1916. He first built his career as a trader alongside his brother Abdullah, the two working together under the name Badghisi Brothers. (More details to be added.)
He later co-founded the Herat Cotton Company, serving as its President from its establishment in 1963. He became one of the most prominent private businessmen in western Afghanistan during the 1960s and 1970s, playing a central role in transforming the cotton industry of Herat and Badghis provinces into a major economic force.
He was regularly received in audience by His Majesty King Zahir Shah and was recognized at the highest levels of Afghan society, meeting with senior government officials including the President of the Wolesi Jirgah, the Minister of Interior, the Minister of Finance, and the Chief of Staff.
Azizullah Badghisi passed away at the age of 76 in 1371 (1992) in Herat. He is buried at the shrine complex of the Sufi saint Khwaja Abd Allah Ansari in Herat.
The Herat Cotton Company was established in October 1963 with an initial capital of Af. 10 million (~$2.3M in April 2026 USD). It was set up as a private joint-stock enterprise — a rarity in Afghanistan's economy at the time, where most industrial activity was state-driven.
In April 1967, a new cotton ginning and pressing plant was inaugurated in Herat. Purchased from the Soviet Union for $192,000 (~$1.7M in 2026 USD) on a five-year credit, it could gin and pack 1,000 kg of cotton per hour. The plant featured two Russian ginning machines (80-saw type) with capacity to add three more.
A 1973 French academic study described the plant as "very well organized, equipped with modern installations" with a processing capacity exceeding 4,000 tons.
The core business was purchasing raw cotton from growers in Herat, Badghis, and Farah provinces, ginning and pressing it, then exporting worldwide:
The 1973 French academic study singled out the Herat Cotton Company for its remarkably fair treatment of farmers:
Under Badghisi's leadership, the company pursued an ambitious diversification strategy:
Announced in September 1966 with an expenditure of over Af. 100 million (~$20M in 2026 USD). Inaugurated in December 1971, it produced 5 tons of oil per day from cotton, sunflower, and sesame seeds — reportedly the first time oilseeds other than cotton had been processed industrially in Afghanistan.
Purchased at nearly half a million afghanis (~$80K in 2026 USD), adding packaging capability.
The 75-acre compound included warehouses, storage depots, office buildings, living quarters for employees, a mosque, shops, and a small hotel.
He was ahead of his time. Building a private industrial company in 1960s Afghanistan, when nearly all industry was state-run, took serious vision and courage. He didn't just gin cotton — he built an entire vertically integrated agro-industrial operation: oil extraction, tin-making, planning textiles and soap.
He treated farmers fairly. Paying within 24 hours, no transport deductions, free sacks — while every other company in the country was making farmers wait months and skimming fees. A French academic study singled him out for it. He proved you could do good business and treat people right.
He commanded real respect. Received by the King, visited by the Prime Minister, elected head of the Chamber of Commerce — not because of a government title, but because of what he built with his own hands and capital.
He took a 10 million afghani startup and turned it into the dominant industrial force of western Afghanistan, employing 150 people, exporting to six countries, and supplying 40% of the national textile company's cotton. In a little over a decade.