Senior Awami League leader and Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam has died while being treated at a Thailand Hospital.
The 68-year-old breathed his last around 9.45pm at the Bamrungrad Hospital in Bangkok, where he was being treated for lung cancer.
President Md Abdul Hamid mourned his death.
The nation will remember Syed Ashraf for his contributions to the country’s democratic process, politics and social development, says a statement by his office.

Awami League chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her condolence over the death of Syed Ashraf, who served as the party’s general secretary for two terms, the PMO press wing said in a statement.
The news of his death comes hours after a letter seeking more time from Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury to be sworn in as a lawmaker of the 11th National Parliament.
He took his leave of absence from parliament on Sept 18 last year.
Despite his absence, he won from Kishoreganj-1 seat in the Dec 30 polls.

The BNP and opposition alliance Jatiya Oikya Front have also expressed their condolence over the veteran politician's death.
The son of Syed Nazrul Islam, acting president of the 1971 war-time government, Syed Ashraf left for the UK after the four national leaders including his father were killed inside the Dhaka jail in November 1975 a little over two months after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family was assassinated.

Syed Ashraf was elected an MP from Kishoreganj in 1996, 2001, 2008 and 2014 after returning home.

He was entrusted with the duties of the party’s general secretary when its top brass, including its chief Hasina, was put behind bars during the 2007-8 emergency rule.
He played a key role in strengthening the party when the military-backed caretaker administration sought to punish politicians and banish the two top leaders — Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda Zia.
After the 2008 election, when the Awami League formed the government, he was given the key portfolio of local government.
However, he was removed from the portfolio in 2015 only to be made the public administration minister barely a week later.
After serving as party’s general secretary for eight years, he lost the post in the last council and was made a member of the policymaking Presidium.

Born in Mymensingh in 1952, Syed Ashraf was involved in politics from his student life. He served as the president of Chhatra League’s Mymensingh district unit and later the publicity affairs secretary for its central committee.

His wife Sheila Islam lost the battle with cancer in October 2017.  Syed Ashraf is survived by a daughter.

Following the 1975 assassination of the four national leaders including his father, which Bangladesh commemorates as the Jail Killings Day on Nov 3 every year, Syed Ashraf went to the UK.

He returned before the 1996 national election and was elected MP from Kishoreganj-1.

He served as the state minister for civil aviation and tourism Ministry in 1996-2001 Hasina-administration.

Syed Ashraf retained his parliament membership constituency in the 2001 polls after which the BNP-Jamaat Alliance took office. He then served as a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs.

Following the two-year emergency regime of the military-installed caretaker government, Syed Ashraf was made the local government minister in the Hasina-administration, the office which he held until 2015 when he was removed before handing over the portfolio of public administration days later.

Born in Mymensingh in 1952, Syed Ashraf was involved in politics from his student life. He served as the president of Chhatra League’s Mymensingh district unit and later the publicity affairs secretary for its central committee.

His wife Sheila Islam lost the battle with cancer in October 2017.  Syed Ahsraf is survived by a daughter.

Following the 1975 assassination of the four national leaders including his father, which Bangladesh commemorates as the Jail Killings Day on Nov 3 every year, Syed Ashraf went to the UK.

He returned before the 1996 national election and was elected MP from Kishoreganj-1.

He served as the state minister for civil aviation and tourism Ministry in 1996-2001 Hasina-administration.

Syed Ashraf retained his parliament membership constituency in the 2001 polls after which the BNP-Jamaat Alliance took office. He then served as a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs.

Following the two-year emergency regime of the military-installed caretaker government, Syed Ashraf was made the local government minister in the Hasina-administration, the office which he held until 2015 when he was removed before handing over the portfolio of public administration days later.