Jamuna Group Chairman Nurul Islam laid to rest

Jamuna Group Chairman Md Nurul Islam Babul was laid to eternal rest with state honour in the capital's Banani graveyard on Tuesday.

A veteran entrepreneur and freedom fighter, Nurul Islam was buried around 2:30 pm, Mohammad Alamgir Alam, a director of the group, told The Daily Star. 

His namaz-e-janaza was held at 1:30 pm at Jamuna Future Park Mosque after Zohr prayers, he said.

He breathed his last at Evercare Hospital on Monday at the age of 74.

Nurul Islam, also the founding chairman of Daily Jugantor and Jamuna Television, had been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital since June 14 after testing positive for coronavirus.

Apart from being infected with Covid-19, he also had kidney damage, according to officials of Jamuna Group.

One of the prominent industrialists of the country, left behind his wife Salma Islam, MP and former state minister for women and children affairs; son Shamim Islam, managing director of Jamuna Group; three daughters -- Rozalin Islam, Monika Islam and Soniya Islam; and a host of relatives to mourn his death.

As he was a freedom fighter, Nurul Islam was given the guard of honour on behalf of the Liberation War Affairs Ministry and the deputy commissioner of Dhaka, said Mohammad Alamgir.

Many people, including his staffers and employees of Jamuna Group, attended the janaza and prayed for the salvation of the departed soul .

Before the namaz-e-janaza, Shamim Islam, his son, recalled his father's contribution to the welfare of the country during and after the liberation war of Bangladesh.

Nurul Islam, who was born in Noakhali in 1946, founded Jamuna group in 1974 and established 41 organisations in various industries and service sectors.

Jamuna Group deals with electronics, cloth, woven garments, chemicals, leather, beverages, motorcycles, toiletries, and construction sectors. Jamuna Future Park and Marriott Hotel are part of the Jamuna Group.

More than one lakh people work under different ventures of Jamuna Group.

The group's journey began with Jamuna Electric Manufacturing Co Ltd, which has pioneered manufacturing electrical accessories and fittings in Bangladesh since 1975. There after JGI flourished as a giant conglomerate.

Jamuna developed and expanded its enterprises to diversify its product range.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, top leaders of different political, social and business organisations, ministers including Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, among others, expressed deep shock at the death.

In separate condolence messages they said an entrepreneur like him was much needed to develop a modern Bangladesh.