Salim invites Khokon to lunch after saying prayers together

Dhaka City Awami League leaders Haji Mohammad Salim and Sayeed Khokon appear to have buried the hatchet over contesting the mayor election,

A disgruntled Salim, who only three days ago told Parliament about how he was prevented from running for mayor, is now gearing up to campaign for party-endorsed Dhaka South City Corporation candidate Khokon.

The two emerged hand-in-hand from Chawkbazar Shahi Mosque after Friday prayers in an apparent display of bonhomie before a curious media contingent.

Salim, an independent MP, had also invited Khokon and several other Awami League leaders to lunch at his home.

Khokon said, “Salim Bhai (brother) invited me to say prayers [at Chawkbazar mosque]. So, I came.”

Awami League joint general secretaries Mahbub-Ul Alam Hanif and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Organising Secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and former MP Mostofa Jalal Mohiuddin were also there.

Dhaka Metropolitan Awami League’s acting President MA Aziz, Organising Secretary Shah-e-Alam Murad and Bangladesh Chhatra League President Bodiuzzaman Shohag could also be seen.

Salim, who defeated party-backed Mohiuddin in the 2014 parliamentary elections, had said he was confident of victory.

He had even announced to relinquish his Parliament position to contest the city election. But media reports suggested the prime minister had ordered him to step aside.

The party preferred to pit Khokon, son of former mayor Mohammad Hanif, in the crucial election.

When asked if Friday’s gathering flouted electoral code of conduct, he said he had only prayed for ‘people’s and his well being’.

“Our party leaders came here at Salim Bhai’s invitation while some others showed up since both of us came here,” he said.

His Personal Secretary Habibul Islam Sumon told bdnews24.com that they had lunch at Salim’s Lalbagh home.

People close to the two leaders said Salim would campaign for Khokon, going by the party decision.

Although Salim collected nomination form, he did not submit it. Instead, in a Facebook post he said he was going to India “for treatment and visiting the Ajmer Sharif”.

A day after the deadline for submission of nominations expired, he was seen in Parliament. He told the speaker that “someone” had torn his resignation letter.

When asked who it was, the Old Dhaka businessman told bdnews24.com: “I can’t tell you that.”