Sheikh Kabir Hossain, the president of the Bangladesh Insurance Association and a prominent figure in the nation's private education sector, died Feb. 14, 2026, following an undisclosed illness. He was 83.
Born in 1942 into the Sheikh family of Tungipara, Hossain earned a master’s degree from the University of Dhaka before entering government service. He built his early career through roles at the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, the Bureau of Statistics, and Sonali Bank. He resigned from his government positions in 1975 and transitioned into the private sector, where he advocated for structured insurance regulations and the expansion of private higher education.
Hossain’s influence grew through his long-term leadership of the Bangladesh Insurance Association, a position he held starting in 2011. He chaired Sonar Bangla Insurance Limited and Central Depository Bangladesh Limited. In the healthcare sector, he founded the Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College Hospital and directed the Khan Shaheb Sheikh Mosharraf Hossain Foundation (named after his father).
In his final years, Hossain led the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh and served as the chairperson of National Tea Company Limited. He maintained these executive roles through 2025, focusing on the financial stability of private institutions and the modernization of the tea industry. He was a second-cousin of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first President of Bangladesh.