Early life
Khan was the eldest son of Abul Kashem Khan, a minister in the central cabinet of the then Pakistan. He studied at St. Paul's School in Darjeeling, India, later on at Aitchison College in Lahore, Pakistan.Career
In 1958, Khan became the managing director of A K Khan & Company and later the chairman in 1991. He was also the founding chairman of AKTEL and chairman of COATS Bangladesh, Bengal Fisheries Ltd. He was the president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI) from two consecutive terms. In 1977 he was elected president of Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FBCCI). As president of FBCCI, he initiated the formation of Islamic Chambers of Commerce & Industry. He was also elected chairman of the working group for drafting of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce & Industry Constitution in the Istanbul Conference in 1977. He also participated in the International Labour Organization (ILO) conference in Geneva in 1975 as representative of Bangladesh Employers. He was also chairman of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (East Zone) from 1969 to 1971, founder chairman of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), founder director of Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) and director of Sadharan Bima Corporation. He also served as chairman of Sonali Bank. Khan joined politics in 1978 and was also elected member of parliament (MP) in 1979 from Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by President Ziaur Rahman. He became a member of Begum Khaleda Zia's cabinet in 1991 as the planning minister and later as industries minister.Personal life
Zahiruddin Khan was married to Asma Afzal in 1967. They had four children, the eldest son Schezade A. K. Khan (b. 1968), eldest daughter Schezene Khan (b.1974), younger son Kalim A. L. Khan (1977-2009) and youngest daughter Alishe Khan (b.1989). Zahiruddin's eldest son, Schezade A.K Khan, is married to Zarka Rumana Khwaja, a descendant of Khwaja Yunus Ali Enayetpuri. His younger son, Kalim A. L. Khan, was married to Nusrat Kamal, daughter of industrialist S.M Kamaluddin (founder of Concord Group). His eldest daughter Schezene Khan is married to Faisal Morshed Khan.Death
Zahiruddin Khan passed away on 29th march 2005 and was buried on 1st April 2005 with nation-wide honor at his family graveyard in Batali Hills, Chittagong. His death was condoled by Iajuddin Ahmed, President Iajuddin Ahmed, Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Jamiruddin Sircar, Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar, and other prominent members of the government and society.References
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