Thousands of mourners converged on Kauria Bazaar in the Guabaria Union of Hizla Upazila to pay their final respects to Sultan Mahmud Tipu Sikdar, a two-time Upazila Parishad Chairman and veteran political figure, whose funeral prayers and burial took place on Wednesday morning, 26 August.
The veteran politician passed away following a sudden cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Dhaka at 9:00 am on Tuesday, 25 August. His janaza was conducted at 11:00 am the following day, after which he was laid to rest in his family graveyard. The ceremony drew relatives, cross-party political colleagues, local administration officials, and thousands of well-wishers who travelled from across Barishal district to bid a final farewell to their long-standing local representative.
Sultan Mahmud Tipu Sikdar was a central figure in the regional politics of southern Bangladesh. As President of the Hizla Upazila Awami League and a twice-elected Upazila Parishad Chairman, his influence spanned over three decades of public service. News of his passing cast a immediate pall of gloom over the area, with emotional scenes unfolding at the funeral ground as grief-stricken supporters gathered to catch a final glimpse of their leader.
Sikdar’s political career began in his youth. At just 34 years of age, he was elected General Secretary of the Hizla Thana Awami League during the 1989 party council, setting an early precedent for grassroots leadership in the sub-district. Decades of dedicated organizational work culminated in his election as President of the Hizla Upazila Awami League during the 2013 council—a leadership position he held until his death.
His legislative and administrative journey at the local level was marked by repeated electoral success. Sikdar secured his first term as Chairman of the Hizla Upazila Parishad in 2009 during Bangladesh’s landmark local government elections. Demonstrating strong civic support and administrative oversight, he won a second term as Upazila Chairman in 2015. Widely known for his accessible, friendly, and smiling demeanour, he earned respect across party lines throughout his tenure.
Sikdar hailed from an influential dynasty deeply rooted in regional governance along the Meghna river basin. His late father, Hasan Mahmud Sikdar, served multiple terms as the elected Chairman of Guabaria Union Parishad, laying the foundation for the family’s public legacy. Following in those footsteps, Sikdar’s younger brother, former Chhatra League leader Altaf Mahmud Dipu, was elected as the Hizla Upazila Chairman in the most recent local government polls.
At the time of his death, Sultan Mahmud Tipu Sikdar left behind his elderly mother, his wife, two daughters, a son, two brothers, and an extensive network of relatives and admirers. Community elders and local leaders noted that his demise marks the end of an era, creating an irreplaceable void in the political leadership and social fabric of Hizla Upazila.
