His body will be flown to Dhaka today in a Thai Airways flight.

He left behind his wife, two sons, two daughters and a host of relatives and admirers to mourn his death. Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan is one of his cousins.

Zahiruddin Khan was born in Chittagong in 1936.

He was managing director and chairman of AK Khan Group of Industries, chairman of AKTEL, Bengal Fisheries Ltd and Coats Bangladesh Ltd.

He was also founder chairman of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association and founder director of Investment Corporation of Bangladesh. He served as a Chairman of Sonali Bank and IFIC Bank.

He held the position of the president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry for two consecutive terms from 1975 to 1978.

Khan also played an active role in the liberation war in 1971.

He joined the BNP and was elected member of parliament in 1979.

Zahiruddin Khan became a member of Khaleda Zia's cabinet as the planing minister from 1991 to 1993 and industries minister from 1993 to 1995.

As industries minister, he promoted the innovation of green jute pulp for producing paper and fabric.

His Namaz-e-Jansza will be held at Gulshan Azad Mosque after the Asr prayers today.

His second Namaz-e-Janaza will be held on Friday at Jamaat-ul-Falah in Chittagong after the Juma prayers.

He will be buried in his family graveyard at Batali Hills in Chittagong.

President Iajuddin Ahmed expressed his deep condolences at the death of the former minister.

The president recalled Zahiruddin Khan's great contribution to the development of country's industry and said his outstanding contribution as a politician and social worker will remain memorable.

He prayed for the salvation of Khan's departed soul and expressed his deep sympathy for the bereaved family.

Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, Deputy Speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui, Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman, Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan, Posts and Telecommunications Minster Md Aminul Haque, Science, Information and Commination Technology Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Commerce Minister Altaf Hossain Choudhury, State Minister for LGRD Ziaul Haque Zia and Commerce Ministry Advisor Md Barkat Ullah Bulu also expressed profound condolence at the death of Zahiruddin Khan.