Charlie Kirk’s Death Sparks Global Outcry as Zahid F Sarder Saddi Calls It a ‘Global Tragedy’

Zahid F. Sarder Saddi, Activist

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- World leaders, former U.S. presidents, and political figures across party lines condemned the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed while speaking at a Utah university event this week. Tributes described the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder as a rising voice for free speech and youth engagement whose influence reached far beyond the United States.

Among the most personal tributes came from Zahid F Sarder Saddi, a Bangladeshi human rights advocate who counted Charlie Kirk as a close ally for more than a decade. Saddi, who once served as foreign advisor to former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, said the loss was both intimate and international.

“This was not just the death of a public figure. This was the silencing of a friend, a husband, a father — and a global advocate for democracy,” Zahid F Sarder Saddi said in a statement. “It is a cowardly act that must be a wake-up call against political violence everywhere.”

For years, Zahid F Sarder Saddi and Charlie Kirk worked in tandem on U.S. national security and human rights issues, particularly in South Asia. Together they briefed members of Congress, intelligence officials, and senior policymakers on the threats posed by Islamist extremism and the need for free elections in Bangladesh.

Ambassador Jill Kelley, a diplomatic advisor and close ally of the Trump administration who previously served as honorary ambassador to the U.S. Military Coalition and U.S. Central Command, as well as special advisor to the CIA Director who was on the advisory counsel of Turning Point USA, also worked closely with Charlie Kirk and Zahid F Sarder Saddi on human rights issues across the globe. Ambassador Kelley said, “Free speech is the bedrock of American democracy. We fought for decades to bring democracy and freedoms across the world to cultures that did not respect free speech or basic human rights, therefore it pains me to see our own democratic values and freedoms being violated right here at home.”

Zahid F Sarder Saddi said Kirk’s willingness to listen to international perspectives distinguished him from many in Washington. “Charlie was a friend to Bangladeshis,” he said. “He cared about religious minorities and respected the stories of those struggling for democracy.”

Zahid F Sarder Saddi added that many in Bangladesh may not fully realize the impact Charlie Kirk had on their country’s political landscape. He said Kirk’s work and influence helped create space for breathing room against autocracy, shaping what many Bangladeshis today are striving for in terms of freedom and democratic rights. “Much of the progress people feel or hope for has roots in Charlie’s work and his unwavering support,” Saddi said.

Texas billionaire and Trump family ally Gentry Beach, a longtime supporter of Bangladesh and its people, played a pivotal role in Charlie Kirk’s rise. Kirk often described Beach as more than a mentor or donor — “a brother.” A close friend of Donald Trump Jr., Beach was a major donor to Turning Point USA and introduced Kirk to Trump Jr. ahead of the 2016 election, a connection that helped propel Kirk onto the national stage.

Gentry Beach, who has been friends with Zahid F Sarder Saddi for decades, later introduced him to Charlie Kirk as well. From that point forward, Saddi and Kirk developed a deep personal and professional relationship. “Charlie was a friend — and a friend to many across the world who came to know him. Once you met him, he became a lifelong friend,” Saddi said.

Their collaboration also extended into Trump-aligned networks, with the two appearing at strategy sessions at Mar-a-Lago. Charlie Kirk’s recent appointment by President Donald Trump to U.S. military advisory boards highlighted what Saddi described as “a rising profile that connected domestic politics with global security.”

President Donald Trump, who survived two assassination attempts last year, praised Kirk as “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk” in a Truth Social post. “No one understood or had the heart of the youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” Trump wrote. “He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me.” Trump also announced that Kirk will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Zahid F Sarder Saddi said the tribute reflected a genuine closeness. “I saw firsthand the bond Charlie shared with the Trump family,” he said. “This loss is devastating for them.”

The shock reverberated beyond Washington. Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, condemned the shooting as “a cowardly act” and extended condolences to Kirk’s family. Zahid F Sarder Saddi thanked Tarique Rahman for taking a stand, saying his words carried weight in a Muslim-majority country where extremism is a growing concern and as he leads Bangladesh’s largest political party into February’s election.

Zahid F Sarder Saddi noted he has faced backlash, social media trolling, and even terrorizing threats and intimidation from radical extremist groups in Bangladesh and abroad over his association with Charlie Kirk. He said such criticism underscores the risks of speaking out in a nation of nearly 200 million, where extremism threatens not only the country but also the wider Indo-Pacific region — and beyond. “Criticism and threats never stopped Charlie Kirk, and they will not stop me,” Zahid F Sarder Saddi said. “There is no place for extremism or radicalization. Bangladesh cannot become a sanctuary for intolerance or violence.”

Zahid F Sarder Saddi added that Charlie Kirk had once promised to visit Bangladesh with him after what he called “the end of the fascist regime.” Saddi said: “My heart is broken knowing that dream will never come true.”

Kirk was killed while encouraging dialogue on campus — a detail Saddi said should alarm all democracies. “He was doing what he loved: speaking, challenging, engaging,” Saddi said. “Shot while hosting a peaceful event, encouraging dialogue, not division. That should terrify us all.”

He warned that political violence cannot be tolerated. “This is not protest. It is terrorism. It is a betrayal of every value a democratic society claims to hold,” he said.

Zahid F Sarder Saddi called Charlie Kirk’s death a chance for collective reflection. “Charlie’s death cannot — and must not — be in vain. Let this be a reckoning. We need to build a world where disagreement is not answered with bullets, but with ideas.”

Beyond politics, Zahid F Sarder Saddi spoke of Charlie Kirk in deeply personal terms. “Charlie wasn’t just a public voice — he remembered birthdays, he called when people were struggling, he kept his heart open,” Saddi said. He described Kirk as “a dear friend who would drop everything if you needed him.”

“My heart is shattered,” he added. “My prayers are with Charlie’s wife, his children, and everyone whose life he touched. He was one of the bravest souls I knew. His voice will echo long after this darkness. Rest in power, my friend.”

About — Zahid F Sarder Saddi

Zahid F Sarder Saddi is a Bangladeshi politician in exile, humanitarian, and international advocate for democracy and religious freedom. A former Foreign Advisor to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, he has testified before the U.S. Congress on South Asia, human rights, and counterterrorism. For over two decades, Saddi has worked with U.S. policymakers, intelligence officials, and global institutions to promote democracy, protect vulnerable communities, and combat extremism.

To learn more about Zahid F Sarder Saddi, please visit www.ZahidFSarderSaddi.com or reach out to Zahid F Sarder Saddi at info@zahidfsardersaddi.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

Charlie Kirk’s Death Sparks Global Outcry as Zahid F Sarder Saddi Calls It a ‘Global Tragedy’

Photo: Former Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Zahid F Sarder Saddi with Charlie Kirk at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Charlie Kirk’s Death Sparks Global Outcry as Zahid F Sarder Saddi Calls It a ‘Global Tragedy’

Photo: Zahid F Sarder Saddi and a Bangladesh delegation with Charlie Kirk and Ambassador Jill Kelley during a closed-door briefing for members of Congress, intelligence officials, and senior policymakers at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Charlie Kirk’s Death Sparks Global Outcry as Zahid F Sarder Saddi Calls It a ‘Global Tragedy’

Photo: Zahid F Sarder Saddi with Charlie Kirk at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Charlie Kirk’s Death Sparks Global Outcry as Zahid F Sarder Saddi Calls It a ‘Global Tragedy’

Photo: Zahid F Sarder Saddi with Gentry Beach, Barrister Abu Sayem, and Charlie Kirk in Washington, D.C.

Charlie Kirk’s Death Sparks Global Outcry as Zahid F Sarder Saddi Calls It a ‘Global Tragedy’

Photo: Zahid F Sarder Saddi, Donald Trump Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Charlie Kirk at the Turning Point USA Holiday Gala at Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private residence.

Charlie Kirk’s Death Sparks Global Outcry as Zahid F Sarder Saddi Calls It a ‘Global Tragedy’

Photo: President Donald J. Trump with Charlie Kirk

Charlie Kirk’s Death Sparks Global Outcry as Zahid F Sarder Saddi Calls It a ‘Global Tragedy’

Photo: Zahid F Sarder Saddi with Donald Trump Jr. during a recent visit to Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private residence.

Charlie Kirk’s Death Sparks Global Outcry as Zahid F Sarder Saddi Calls It a ‘Global Tragedy’

Photo: Zahid F Sarder Saddi

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