Sikder Group chief Zainul Haque Sikder no more

Zainul Haque Sikder, chairman of the renowned Sikder Group of Companies, passed away early yesterday in a hospital in Dubai, said a press release of the company.

He was 91.

Sikder was suffering from heart complications and the Covid-19 infection, Syed Qamrul Islam, chief operating officer of Sikder Group, told The Daily Star over phone yesterday.

He was undergoing treatment at the Saudi-German Hospital in Dubai.

Flourishing in entrepreneurship after the country's independence, Sikder was on born on August 12 in 1930 in Assam before partition. He migrated to Bangladesh during partition.

"He was one of those who contributed greatly to the development and progress of the country," said the press release signed by Sikder Group COO & Director Qamrul.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed condolences after the death of Sikder, who was also a freedom fighter, reports BSS.

Hasina prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.

Sikder had been with the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as one of his close and trustworthy associates since 1945. He had also arranged a Qulkhwani for Bangabandhu and his family members on August 19, 1975, four days since their brutal murder, in the capital's Rayerbazar area. For that, he had to face harassment and intimidation of the military intelligence, while having to suffer in jail.

Qamrul said they are trying to bring Sikder's body back to the country by the evening today.

Sikder established ventures in education, health, housing and tourism, banking, power, economic zones, port, aviation, infrastructure development, hotel and resort, and trading.

The company also has business entities in Thailand, Singapore, Canada and the USA, according to the website of PowerPac Holdings Ltd.

Sikder started his career in real estate & construction and subsequently diversified and expanded his business 1982, said the website.

The group employed about 20,000 people in the last seven decades.

He was also chairman of the National Bank Ltd, the first private bank.

In addition to those, he headed the board of Sikder Real Estate Ltd, Sikder Pharma, Monowara Sikder Medical College and Hospital, ZH Sikder Womens Medical College and Hospital (Pvt) Ltd, and was the chairman of ZH Sikder University of Science and Technology.