She was suffering from cancer, her family sources said.

She left behind three sons, a daughter, grandchildren and a host of relatives and well-wishers. Her family members were present at her bedside when she died.

The first namaz-e-janaza of Durre Samad Rahman will be held at 10:30am today at Gulshan Azad Mosque. A second janaza will be held at Mazar Mosque of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) in Sylhet after Zohr prayers and third janaza in Moulavibazar after Asr prayers today. She will be buried at the family graveyard in Moulavibazar afterwards, family sources said.

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia rushed to the finance minister's house after hearing the news and expressed deep shock at his wife's death.

She consoled family members of the deceased and prayed for salvation of the departed soul.

Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan, Post and Telecommuni-cations Minister Aminul Huq, State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Quamrul Islam, State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar, Prime Minister's Political Secretary Haris Chowdhury, MPs and leaders and workers of the ruling BNP also went to the finance minister's house.