Father died with the pain of never returning home: Ishrak on Khoka's death anniversary

Late BNP leader, freedom fighter and former mayor of the undivided Dhaka City Corporation Sadek Hossain Khoka could not return to the country in the last five years of his life. He died carrying the pain of not being able to see his parents' graves one last time and not being able to meet the people of his area, his son Ishrak Hossain, the MP for Dhaka-6, has said.

Ishrak Hossain said this as chief guest at a Quran khatm and doa mahfil organised by the Dhaka South City Corporation Workers-Employees Union on Wednesday (4 November) marking Sadek Hossain Khoka's seventh death anniversary.

Recalling his father's final days, Ishrak Hossain said, 'Before his death in New York on 4 November 2019, I was beside my father in hospital for the last three or four days. He could hardly speak then. But looking into his eyes, I understood there was a lot of pain in his heart.'

He said, 'My father did politics in this area for a long 40 years. But he could not return to the country in the last five years of his life. He could not even see his parents' graves one last time. The pain of not being able to meet the people of his area one last time haunted him until his final moment.'

Ishrak Hossain said, 'Father often used to say one thing — I think I will have to go back to the country in a coffin. In the end, that came true. He returned to the country in a coffin.'

Referring to Sadek Hossain Khoka's political ideals, Ishrak said his father never compromised with injustice. He never compromised on the rights of the tortured and oppressed either, and remained steadfast until the last moment of his life.

Ishrak also said that even when his father could no longer speak before his death, he remembered Khaleda Zia. He said he too believes in his father's ideals.

He said he has carried out movements and struggles under Tarique Rahman's leadership and will work unitedly in future to confront any conspiracy.

Also present at the event were Muktijoddha Dal president Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat, Dhaka Metropolitan South Sramik Dal convener Suman Bhuiya and member-secretary Badrul Alam Sabuj. Leaders of the BNP, Sramik Dal, Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal were also present.