Awami League leader Haji Salim goes to India amid murmurs of polls sign-off

Ruling Awami League leader Haji Mohammad Salim has left for India amid murmurs that he might run for the office of mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation.

He collected the nomination form on Tuesday and hinted at resigning from Parliament to give his latest attempt a go.

The Awami League’s Dhaka Metropolitan unit joint general secretary will have to file his nomination papers within Sunday but before that, he will need to relinquish his parliament membership first.

His personal secretary Mohiuddin Belal told bdnews24.com that Salim had gone to India “for treatment and visiting the Ajmer Sharif”.

The aide did not say when the independent MP would return. Belal added Salim left no instruction for him on the submission of nomination papers.

Salim contested the 2014 general elections as a renegade candidate and defeated the Awami League-backed contestant.

He said he was interested in the city polls but suddenly went off the radar from Wednesday, keeping within the confines of his Lalbagh residence and refusing to take phone calls.

According to media reports, party chief Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had ‘backed’ former Dhaka mayor Mohammad Hanif’s son Sayeed Khokon and reportedly ordered Salim to back off on Tuesday.

When asked, Salim’s aide Belal told bdnews24.com: “You know everything... We are not sure when he’ll be back.

“He has asked everyone to pray for him.”

A Facebook post under Haji Salim’s name said he was going to Chennai for treatment and would then go to the shrine of famous Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer.

It said he had fallen ill due to his activities surrounding the election bid and thanked his supporters.

Belal confirmed the Facebook page was indeed Haji Salim’s.

Belal said on Wednesday Salim had submitted his resignation but it had not been accepted. However, Parliament Secretariat officials said they had not got Salim’s resignation.

On the same day, Awami League’s Organising Secretary Shah-e-Alam Murad told reporters that Hasina had asked them to work for Khokon’s victory.