Ex-MP Sayeed Iskander passes away

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's younger brother Maj (retd) Sayeed Iskander passed away at a New York hospital yesterday.
He was 59.
BNP lawmaker Rehana Akhter Ranu said Iskander, a former MP from
Feni-1 constituency, breathed his last at noon (New York time), reports UNB.
Iskander had been suffering from lung cancer for quite a long time. He was admitted to Brookdale Hospital Medical Centre a few months ago.
Recently, he was given chemotherapy, but his condition started deteriorating fast.
Iskander, also the founding chairman of Islamic Television, is survived by his wife, two sons, one daughter, one sister and one brother, Shamim Iskander.
He was an adviser to Khaleda Zia. Iskander joined the Bangladesh Army in 1974 and was promoted to the rank of major in 1980.
He had retired in 1982 and joined politics. Iskander took care of BNP's overall election affairs in 2001.
Though Iskander had retired from the military service, he had influence in the army as the brother of Khaleda Zia.
He was also the chief adviser of Zia Forum since 1991 and Deshnetri Foundation since 1999.
Born in Dinajpur on January 13, 1953, Iskander was general secretary of Chhatra League's Dinajpur district unit in 1969. He was later made the vice-president of Chhatra League's central committee.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed deep shock at the death of Iskander. “His premature death is an irreparable loss to the nationalist politics of Bangladesh,” he said.
Fakhrul also conveyed his deep sympathy to Iskander's bereaved family members and prayed for the salvation of his departed soul.
In a statement, National Awami Party (NAP-Bhasani) also condoled the death of Iskander.
BNP sources said a pall of gloom descended among the party leaders and workers following his death.
Khaleda Zia was on her way back to Dhaka from Dinajpur when she was conveyed the death news of her brother.
Khaleda had moved to Iskander's Baridhara residence when she had been removed from her Cantonment residence on November 12, 2010.