Today marks the eighth death anniversary of SM Nazrul Islam, founder chairman of Walton Group and a pioneer of Bangladesh's electronics manufacturing industry.
To mark the occasion, milad mahfils and special prayers seeking eternal peace for his departed soul will be held on Wednesday at Walton's headquarters, corporate office, and across Walton service centres, plazas and distributor showrooms nationwide.
SM Nazrul Islam passed away on the night of 17 December 2017 while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dhaka. He was 93 at the time. He was laid to rest the following day, 18 December, beside the graves of his parents at the family graveyard in his native village Ghosai Joair in Tangail.
Alhaj SM Nazrul Islam was born on 7 May 1924 in Ghosai Joair village under Tangail Sadar upazila into a respected Muslim family. His father was SM Atahar Ali Talukder and his mother Mosammat Shamsun Nahar.
He initially joined his father's business and later started his own enterprise after independence. Despite facing numerous challenges in the early years, he overcame them through honesty, perseverance and dedication.
In 1977, with the vision of making affordable electronics accessible to people across the country, he founded Rezvi and Brothers, later known as RB Group. The brand Walton was later chosen through family discussions, and the group was renamed Walton Group, with significant contributions from his capable children. Another brand, Marcel, was also introduced under the same group.
Under his farsighted leadership, Walton transformed the perception of "Made in Bangladesh" from one of neglect to a mark of pride. Demand for Walton products grew rapidly due to their quality, affordability and after-sales service.
In 2006, Walton acquired land at Chandra in Gazipur and began constructing its own manufacturing plant. Despite initial obstacles, the factory was completed using the group's own funds. In 2008, Walton began producing refrigerators at its own plant. Over time, the company expanded production to include televisions, air conditioners, washing machines, microwave ovens, laptops, computers, mobile phones, compressors, lifts, fans, switches, sockets, cables and more than a hundred electrical, electronic and home appliance products. Today, Walton also manufactures and markets over 50,000 industrial components and materials alongside finished goods.
Walton's export journey began with the Middle East and has since expanded to more than 50 countries, earning global recognition for Bangladeshi-made products. The Walton factory complex has grown into one of South Asia's largest manufacturing and research hubs for technology products, generating employment for nearly 30,000 people and contributing to the development of skilled manpower.
Beyond business, SM Nazrul Islam was actively involved in socio-economic and development initiatives. He served as general secretary of the Tangail District Cooperative Union, president of the Tangail District Fertiliser Dealers Association, director of Tangail Central Cooperative Bank, and founding vice-chairman of Tangail Central Land Mortgage Bank.
He established the SM Nazrul Islam Technical School in his village and regularly supported mosques, madrasas, educational institutions and orphanages. Known for his compassion, he initiated welfare programmes for the elderly, underprivileged and women in his community.