JASD Commemorates Syed Zafar Sazzad Khichchu’s 16th Death Anniversary

A memorial meeting was held on Thursday to mark the 16th death anniversary of freedom fighter, veteran politician and former General Secretary of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASD), Syed Zafar Sazzad Khichchu, with party leaders paying tribute to his lifelong commitment to Bangladesh’s Liberation War, socialist ideals and labour movement.

The programme was organised by the JASD Central Committee at 5:00 pm on 16 July at Shaheed Colonel Taher Auditorium in the capital.

Syed Zafar Sazzad Khichchu was remembered as a prominent student leader during the 1960s. He served as Vice-President of Ishwardi Government College Students’ Union in 1969 and later took part in Bangladesh’s Liberation War as a freedom fighter. Following independence, he became actively involved in trade union politics, serving in the Bangladesh Railway Workers’ Alliance and the National Workers’ Alliance. He was also among the founding leaders of JASD and served two terms as the party’s General Secretary.

The memorial meeting was chaired by JASD Central Committee Vice-President and freedom fighter Shafi Uddin Mollah, while Public Relations Secretary Shariful Kabir Swapan conducted the proceedings.

Among those addressing the gathering were Joint General Secretary and freedom fighter Afzal Hossain Khan Jaki, National Workers’ Alliance President and freedom fighter Saifuzzaman Badsha, Joint General Secretaries Naimul Ahsan Jewel, Obaidur Rahman Chunnu and Mirza Mohammad Anwarul Haque, Treasurer Mohammad Monir Hossain, Legal Affairs Secretary Advocate Mohammad Selim, JASD Dhaka South President Haji Idris Bepari, JASD Dhaka East Vice-President Mahbubur Rahman, JASD Dhaka West Vice-President Advocate Abu Hanif, National Youth Alliance Vice-President Shubhongkor Dey Bappa and Rashidul Haque Nani, President of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (Scientific Socialism) Central Committee, among others.

Speakers described Khichchu as a principled political organiser who remained devoted to socialist values throughout both his public and private life. They said he rejected personal wealth and material gain, choosing instead a simple lifestyle dedicated to political activism, workers’ rights and the ideals of the Liberation War. According to the speakers, he consistently opposed communal politics and remained vocal against what they described as forces hostile to the spirit of Bangladesh’s independence until his final days.

During the discussion, several speakers also expressed the party’s views on Bangladesh’s current political situation. They claimed that the events surrounding the July-August 2024 quota movement involved foreign intervention and constituted a broader political operation aimed at changing the country’s political order. These remarks reflected the speakers’ political opinions and assessments presented during the memorial meeting.

The speakers further alleged that JASD President Hasanul Haq Inu had been subjected to politically motivated legal proceedings. They claimed that the 10-year prison sentence handed down against him resulted from false charges and a predetermined judicial process. They also criticised the decision to include him in the Shapla Chattar case, arguing that it formed part of what they described as an ongoing campaign of political persecution.

Concluding the event, the speakers reaffirmed their commitment to what they termed a national struggle against imperialism and religious extremism. They also reiterated their demand for the release of Hasanul Haq Inu, expressing hope that continued political mobilisation would, in their view, help restore the values of the Liberation War and secure his freedom.

Throughout the programme, participants observed the anniversary by recalling Syed Zafar Sazzad Khichchu’s contributions to Bangladesh’s independence movement, labour activism and socialist politics, describing his legacy as one that continues to inspire members of the party and its affiliated organisations.