Hasina wants Khokon to win Dhaka South City Corporation mayor election, say party leaders

Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina has strongly backed Sayeed Khokon as the party's mayor candidate for Dhaka South, leaders have said.

She also asked the party leaders to work for his victory in the Apr 28 city polls.

The party's Dhaka city unit Organising secretary Shah Alam Murad told bdnews24.com that Hasina not only wanted a victory for Khokon but for all party candidates contesting for position of councillors.

Khokon, son of former Dhaka mayor Mohammad Hanif, has already collected his nomination form.

As has Haji Mohammad Salim, the party's joint general secretary for Dhaka metropolitan area.

But indications are that Salim may back off from the contest after persuasion by the party leadership as Hasina wants no feud within the party which had cost it in many city polls two years ago.

Khokon has been claiming that he is the candidate backed by Awami League, though some senior leaders like Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Qamrul Islam have said the decision has not yet been finalised.

Media reports said that Hasina called both Khokon and Salim to her Ganabhaban residence on Tuesday and asked Salim to step down from the polls.

Salim was not seen campaigning on Wednesday, unlike in the days before.

Two BNP leaders, its Finance Secretary Abdus Salam and former MP Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu have collected nomination forms, though the party leadership is yet to decide on whether to contest the city polls.