Walton gave priority to the needs of the county during pandemic: MD

Walton Hi-Tech Industries Limited Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Golam Murshed on Sunday said the company gave priority to the needs of the county and people during the coronavirus pandemic.

Golam Murshed made the remarks while addressing the closing ceremony of the 5th International Conference of Business and Economics held on Sunday evening at the capital's Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel as a special guest, said a press release.  

He also congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for achieving the UN's SDG Progress Award during his address.

Organised by the Faculty of Business Studies of the University of Dhaka, the theme of the conference was "Business and Economy in the New-normal Landscape".

"Covid-19 is being very challenging for us. However, we have not stopped," Murshed said.

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni was present as the chief guest at the program while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman attended as the guest of honor.

Among others, the programme was also attended by DU Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal, Treasurer Professor Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed, Business Studies Faculty Dean Prof Dr Muhammad Abdul Moyeen and Prof Dr M Sadikul Islam of the same faculty.

In his speech as the special guest, Golam Murshed also said: "We started manufacturing various lifesaving medical equipment including protective face shields, safety goggles etc. and distributed them among those who needed them. Our main responsibility was to provide essential products to people. Our main focus was to protect people's rights. These initiatives of Walton encouraged others in the private sector."

"When the country was in great danger, we shut our business activities for two months and got involved to the works of country's betterment. We resumed our business activities with the government directives maintaining proper hygiene and health rules. The business of Walton did well amid the pandemic and increased its foreign export of electronics products from $1.4 million to $14 million," the Walton MD added.

He said, the development activities of different mega projects including the coal-fired power plant project in Matarbari, construction of Padma Bridge and Rooppur Power Plant are also progressing fast despite the pandemic.

"These are the development signs in Bangladesh. The research and development of Walton did very well. This indicates that the pandemic might be worse for the country, but Bengalis proved that they can do everything possible when the country needs. The private industry and the academia are going to collaborate in mega projects of research and innovation and we will get huge progress in this sector in near future," he said.

The programme was attended among others by Walton Hi-Tech DMD Amdadul Hoque Sarker, Executive Director Shahjada Salim and Additional Operative Director Mustafizur Rahman.