Syed Manzur Elahi, the prominent businessman and chairman of Apex Group, passed away at a hospital in Singapore this morning. He was 83. He passed away around 7:30 am today while undergoing treatment in Singapore.
Former BASIS president Syed Almas Kabir confirmed the matter, adding:”Manzur’s family was making arrangements to bring his body back to Dhaka later in the day.”
“Due to aging, Elahi’s immune system had weakened. While he initially recovered from a lung infection, he later developed a stomach infection,” he added.
Both of his children were with him at the time, Syed Almas Kabir wrote in a Facebook post.
Syed Manzur Elahi was the founding chairman and the chairman of Mutual Trust Bank PLC (MTB).
He was a leading business conglomerate in Bangladesh and has won various awards for his contributions to trade and industry, including “Business Executive of the Year 2000” by the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), Bangladesh andthe “Business Person of the Year 2002” award.
Besides being an eminent industrialist, he was also appointed Adviser to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh, twice (1996 and 2001)
After graduating from St. Xavier’s College, Manzur Elahi completed his bachelor’s degree in Economics at the University of Dhaka. Following his studies, he joined the multinational company, Pakistan Tobacco.
After Bangladesh’s independence, he established Apex Tannery, laying the foundation for his entrepreneurial journey. With a vision for international expansion, he later founded Apex Footwear to export shoes to Japan. By adopting the rigorous quality control practices of Japanese manufacturers, Apex Footwear became a pioneering company in Bangladesh’s shoe export industry.
Manzur Elahi also played a crucial role in pioneering shoe exports from Bangladesh to Europe. At one stage, he partnered with the Italian footwear businessman Adelchi, further strengthening his presence in the global market
Manzur Elahi’s ancestral home was in Bainan village of Howrah district in West Bengal.
His father, Sir Syed Nasim Ali, served as the Chief Justice of undivided Bengal in Calcutta. His eldest brother, Justice S A Masud, also held the
position of Chief Justice at the Calcutta High Court and was honored with the “Padma Bhushan Award” as well as the “Friends of Bangladesh Liberation War” recognition. Among his other brothers, Syed A Moudud and the youngest, Syed Manzur Elahi, moved to what was then East Pakistan, while his third brother, Syed A Mansur, settled in West Bengal.
