Navana Group

Navana Group is a Bangladesh-based diversified business group whose activities cover automotive distribution and assembly, real estate, construction, energy, building materials, furniture, food and beverage, electronics, logistics, and industrial products. Its flagship company, Navana Limited, historically served as the exclusive distributor of Toyota vehicles in Bangladesh from 1964. The group’s automotive interests also include Hino vehicles, vehicle assembly, batteries, compressed natural gas services, liquefied petroleum gas, engineering, and related components. The group emerged as a separate legal entity in 1996 under the chairmanship of Shafiul Islam Kamal. Its formation followed the death of Jahurul Islam, Kamal’s elder brother and chairman of Islam Group. Navana therefore developed out of the wider Islam Group business lineage but operates as a distinct corporate group. Kamal has been identified as Navana Group’s founder and chairman since its establishment, while members of his family have held positions on the board of directors. Navana’s business model is built around a portfolio of operating companies and sister concerns rather than a single consumer-facing product line. Automotive distribution has historically been its most prominent public-facing activity. Navana Automobiles Limited operated as Toyota’s long-standing local agent and distributor, while Aftab Automobiles Limited has marketed Toyota and Hino vehicles in Bangladesh and has undertaken vehicle assembly and small-parts manufacturing. The group has also expanded into transportation infrastructure and energy services through companies involved in logistics, petroleum, LPG, CNG, engineering, and batteries. Beyond mobility, the group maintains interests in property development, construction, building products, furniture, electronics, welding electrodes, and food and beverage. Navana Foods Limited has been associated with the Gloria Jean’s Coffees and La Tarte franchises in Bangladesh. This broad portfolio positions Navana as a diversified national conglomerate serving both business customers and consumers. In September 2025, Toyota moved toward establishing a new company as its sole distributor in Bangladesh, ending or challenging Navana’s long-standing distributorship arrangement. The change became the subject of legal proceedings and allegations involving Toyota Bangladesh’s managing director and two senior Toyota officials, although the available reference material does not establish the final legal outcome. This development represents a significant potential turning point for Navana’s automotive business and its relationship with Toyota.

Navana Group was established as a separate legal entity in 1996 under Shafiul Islam Kamal, following the death of his elder brother Jahurul Islam. Jahurul had chaired Islam Group, described in the reference material as Bangladesh’s largest business group at the time. Navana’s creation therefore marked the separation of Kamal’s business activities from the earlier Islam Group structure and the formation of a new, independently identified conglomerate. Kamal became Navana Group’s founder and chairman and has continued in that role according to the available reference material. Members of his family have also held positions on the group’s board, indicating that family ownership and governance have remained important features of the organization. The group’s most historically prominent activity has been automotive distribution. Navana Limited served as Toyota’s exclusive distributor in Bangladesh from 1964, giving the business a long-standing connection with one of the world’s best-known vehicle manufacturers. Automotive operations later included Navana Automobiles Limited and Aftab Automobiles Limited. Aftab Automobiles has marketed Toyota and Hino vehicles in Bangladesh since 1982 and has been involved in vehicle assembly and the manufacture of small parts. The reference material also identifies a Hino minibus launch, demonstrating the group’s participation in commercial-vehicle products in addition to passenger vehicles. Over time, Navana expanded beyond vehicle distribution into a broad collection of industrial, infrastructure, energy, property, and consumer businesses. Its listed companies include operations in batteries, real estate, construction, building products, interlinks, marketing and distribution, electronics, logistics, petroleum, engineering, CNG, LPG, welding electrodes, furniture, and foods. This expansion created a portfolio spanning both upstream and downstream activities: industrial manufacturing and energy services on one side, and restaurants, furniture, electronics, and other consumer-facing businesses on the other. Navana Foods Limited became associated with the Gloria Jean’s Coffees and La Tarte franchises, extending the group into branded food and beverage retail. Other subsidiaries and sister concerns support construction, property, transport, fuel, and industrial needs in the Bangladeshi market. A major recent development concerns the group’s Toyota relationship. In September 2025, Toyota moved toward establishing a new company as the sole distributor in Bangladesh. The change challenged Navana’s long-standing distributorship arrangement and led to a legal battle. The reference material reports allegations of fraud involving Toyota Bangladesh’s managing director and two senior Toyota officials, but does not provide a final judgment or confirmed resolution. Consequently, the long-term effect on Navana’s automotive operations remains unclear in the available sources.

• 2025

  Toyota distributorship transition

  [1]Navana Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Toyota moves to establish a new sole distributor in Bangladesh, triggering a legal dispute over Navana’s long-standing distributorship position.

• 1996

  Navana Group becomes a separate legal entity

  [1]Navana Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Under Shafiul Islam Kamal, Navana Group emerges as a separate legal entity after the death of Jahurul Islam, the chairman of Islam Group.

• 1982

  Aftab Automobiles begins marketing Toyota and Hino vehicles

  [1]Navana Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Aftab Automobiles, a Navana Group sister concern, begins marketing Toyota and Hino vehicles in Bangladesh and develops vehicle assembly and small-parts manufacturing activities.

• 1964

  Toyota distribution begins in Bangladesh

  [1]Navana Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Navana Limited is identified as Toyota’s exclusive distributor in Bangladesh from 1964, establishing the group’s historic automotive foundation.

A diversified Bangladeshi conglomerate combining automotive distribution and manufacturing with industrial, infrastructure, energy, property, logistics, and consumer businesses.

• Automotive distribution · 1964

  Toyota vehicles

  Toyota vehicles have historically been Navana’s most prominent automotive offering in Bangladesh. Through Navana Limited and Navana Automobiles Limited, the group acted as Toyota’s long-standing local distributor and supported sales and market representation. The distributorship was challenged by Toyota’s move toward a new sole-distributor company in September 2025.

• Commercial vehicles · 1982

  Hino vehicles

  Aftab Automobiles has marketed Hino vehicles in Bangladesh alongside Toyota vehicles. The group’s Hino-related activities include commercial-vehicle distribution and assembly-related capabilities, with the reference material also noting the launch of a Hino minibus.

• Automotive manufacturing

  Automotive assembly and parts

  Aftab Automobiles is described as a vehicle-assembling and small-parts-manufacturing company within the Navana Group portfolio. These capabilities complement the group’s distribution activities and support its participation in Bangladesh’s automotive supply chain.

• Energy services

  CNG, LPG, and petroleum services

  Navana’s energy businesses include CNG service provision, LPG operations, and petroleum activities. Navana CNG is identified as a CNG service provider, while Navana LPG and Navana Petroleum extend the group’s energy portfolio beyond automotive distribution.

• Food and beverage franchises

  Gloria Jean’s Coffees and La Tarte

  Navana Foods Limited is identified as the franchise holder for Gloria Jean’s Coffees and La Tarte in Bangladesh, giving the conglomerate a branded food and beverage retail presence.

• 2025

  Toyota distributorship legal dispute

  Toyota’s move to establish a new sole distributor in Bangladesh led to a legal battle involving Navana’s long-standing distributorship. The available reference reports allegations of fraud against Toyota Bangladesh’s managing director and two senior Toyota officials, but does not establish the final findings or outcome.

  Source

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• 2025

  Response to Toyota distributor transitionOther

  Background

  Toyota moved toward creating a new company as its sole distributor in Bangladesh, challenging Navana’s historic distribution role.

  Action taken

  The dispute became the subject of legal proceedings. The available reference does not specify the complete legal strategy or final resolution.

  Aftermath

  The future of Navana’s Toyota distribution business remains unclear in the available material.

  Source

• 1996

  Creation of Navana as a separate business groupStrategy

  Background

  Following the death of Jahurul Islam, the chairman of Islam Group, Shafiul Islam Kamal established Navana Group as a separate legal entity.

  Action taken

  Kamal formed and led Navana Group as founder and chairman, creating a distinct conglomerate with its own portfolio of companies.

  Aftermath

  Navana developed into a diversified Bangladeshi business group with automotive, industrial, infrastructure, energy, and consumer operations.

  Source

1. 1Navana Groupen.wikipedia.org