FE holds doa mahfil for Syed Manzur Elahi

A doa mahfil, seeking the divine salvation of the departed soul of Syed Manzur Elahi, the publisher of The Financial Express, was hosted at the FE office on Monday afternoon.

Members of the FE family attended the commemoration service.

Addressing the event, FE editor Shamsul Huq Zahid described Mr Elahi as a multi-dimensional personality whose influence spanned a good number of socio-economic sectors.

The seasoned industrialist always remained modern in his outlook and ideas.

"Syed Manzur Elahi admired The Financial Express deeply and was always encouraging its progressive transformation," said Mr Zahid, adding: "We'll continue to move forward with the guidance he provided."

Maj (retd) Md Atiar Rahman, chief general manager of the FE, conducted the memorial service.

Planning editor Asjadul Kibria, chief reporter SM Jahangir, news editor Md Anisur Rahman, senior management consultant Md Riazuddin Khan, special correspondent Siddique Islam and senior manager (advertisement) Md Rajab Ali, among others, attended the event.

They fondly remembered Mr Elahi's chequered life, illustrious career, his contribution to the newspaper and his broader impact on the nation-building.

The distinguished businessman and philanthropist passed away at Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore on March 12 at the age of 83. He had been battling age-old complications.

He was laid to rest beside his wife Niloufer Manzur at the Banani graveyard the next day.

Mr Elahi was a trailblazer in the country's business world, founding and leading key institutions like Apex Footwear, Apex Tannery, Mutual Trust Bank, Pioneer Insurance, Grey Advertising, East West University and Sunbeams School.

He was also the chairman of Apex Group and the managing director of International Publications Limited, the parent company of The Financial Express.

Born on 26 September 1942 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), Mr Elahi belonged to a family with a strong legal heritage. His father, Sir Syed Nasim Ali, was the chief justice of the undivided Bengal.

Mr Elahi pursued his education at St Xavier's College in Kolkata and earned a master's degree in economics from the University of Dhaka. He briefly worked at British American Tobacco before venturing into business.

His entrepreneurial journey began in 1972 with the establishment of Manzur Industries, a company focused on trading leather between Dhaka and Paris.

In 1976, he acquired the state-owned Orient Tannery, which eventually led to the formation of Apex Tannery.

As the founding chairman of Apex Footwear Ltd, Mr Elahi turned the company into one of the country's largest footwear exporters.

Beyond business, he was an influential figure in various economic and social spheres. He served as an adviser to a caretaker government and held key roles in organisations like the Bangladesh Association of Banks, the Bangladesh Bank, and the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI).

Mr Elahi was also a board member of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh and The Financial Express.

His significant contributions to economic development earned him honours and accolades, including 'Business Executive of the Year 2000' from AMCHAM, 'Business Person of the Year 2002' by The Daily Star and DHL, and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023 from UKBCCI.

bdsmile@gmail.com