Khan, AM Jahiruddin
Khan, AM Jahiruddin (1936-2005) industrialist, politician. He was born on 5 July 1936 in Chittagong. His father AK Khan was an industrialist and politician and his mother was Shamsun Nahar Khan. Jahiruddin Khan passed his Senior Cambridge examination in 1957 from Aichison College in Lahore.
Jahiruddin Khan started his career as the Managing Director of AK Khan Group of Industries in 1958. From 1991 he had been the chairman of AK Khan Group of Industries, Bengal Fisheries Limited, Cotes (Bangladesh) Limited. Besides he was the founding chairman of Mobile Phone Company AKTEL (TM International Bangladesh Limited) (1997) Infocom Limited (2000) and Eksicom Limited (2002).
Jahiruddin Khan was associated with several organisations beyond his business circle. He was the chairman (1969-1971) of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Eastern Zone), member of Pakistan Industrial Affairs Advisory Council (1963), member of Capacity Tax Review Committee (1969-1970), chairman of Sonali Bank (1981-82), Director of Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (1976), Director of Sadharan Bima Corporation (1979-82), president of Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (1977), chairman of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (1983-1985) and Director of Advisory Committee of the Department of Civil Aviation and Tourism (1979).
Jahiruddin Khan attended the conference of International Labour Organisation (ILO) held in Geneva on 5 June 1975 as a representative of Bangladesh. Moreover, he led the businessmen representatives in the OIC conference held in Istambul in 1977 as the chairman of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His proposal for the formation of Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry was accepted unanimously. He was elected as chairman of the committee for drafting of the constitution and for implementing the work of floating this organisation. Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry was formed (1997) on the basis of the constitution prepared by this committee.
AM Jahiruddin Khan was also active in politics. He took part in the war of liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. He was one of the founding members of bangladesh nationalist party (bnp). He was elected a member of the Jatiya Sangsad from Chittagong-6 constituency as a nominee of BNP in 1979. He was a minister in the cabinet of begum khaleda zia in 1991 in charge of the Ministry of Planning, and also the minister in charge of Ministry of Industries in 1993. He was one of the architects of the Coastal Green Belt project. He had contribution towards the foundation of Chittagong International Airport, Chittagong Television Centre and Chittagong Government Art College. He died in Bangkok on 29 March 2005. [Abul Quasem Khan]
