New York/Dhaka, Sep 23 (bdnews24.com)—Sayeed Eskander, a former BNP MP and younger brother of Khaleda Zia, died of lung cancer at a New York hospital on Sunday, aged 59.
Khaleda's Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told bdnews24.com he died at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center.
BNP's New York chapter Joint General Secretary Akter Hossain said Eskander died at 12pm. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.
A former Major in Bangladesh Army who became MP in 2001 from a Feni constituency, Eskander, also a freedom fighter, emerged as a powerful figure when her sister took over as Prime Minister in 1991.
He became a businessman after retirement from army and had considerable influence during her second five-year term in 2001-06 although he overshadowed by his nephew Tarique Rahman.
Khaleda received the news while she was returning to her capital from Dinajpur and she cancelled her scheduled stops on way back from the northern district.
He was also an Advisor to the BNP Chairperson and the President of Feni district BNP.
Born on Jan 13, 1953 at Dinajpur, he took to politics while he was still in school. He was made General Secretary of Biplobi Chhatra Union's Dinajpur district in 1969 and went on to become central leader of the organisation.
He joined the Army in 1974 in the first batch of Bangladesh Military Academy and was made Major in 1980.
After retirement, he joined the BNP and campaigned for her sister during elections. Later in 2001, he was elected as an MP from Feni-1 constituency, the seat from where Khaleda used to run.
He was also Chairman of Dandy Dyeing and Dandy Food Products and one of the founders of Islamic Television.
His party BNP condoled the death of its leader and recalled his contribution.
"The people of Bangladesh will cherish his memory forever for his untiring efforts to uphold the politics of protecting independence, sovereignty and democracy, always keeping the ideology of nationalism in heart," said BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a message.
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