Khoka will contend for Dhaka south mayor if Khaleda nods

BNP stalwart and former Dhaka mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka has said he will contend for the mayor’s post in the Dhaka South City Corporation poll if directed by party chief Khaleda Zia.

He announced his interest at a press conference on Monday afternoon in New York, where he is undergoing ‘medical treatment’ for the past few months.

“I will definitely follow the instructions if Madam orders me to compete for mayor in the Dhaka city corporation polls. But that will depend on the advice of doctors. If my body permits, I will try to follow the order.”

A Sutrapur-resident, the BNP vice president and city convener became mayor of the now-defunct Dhaka City Corporation during the last BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami rule.

He continued to hold office for four years even after his five-year tenure ended, but lost power after the government split the city corporation in 2011 to cater to a growing population. 

Khoka, the last mayor of the undivided Dhaka city corporation, will now have to compete for Dhaka south if he takes part in the polls on Apr 28.

“We participated in local government elections before. I am not uninterested now. But everything depends on the decision of the BNP Standing Committee.”

He claimed the government had opted for polls in three city corporations to divert popular attention from the BNP-led agitation, demanding the resignation of what it describes as an ‘illegal’ government and the holding of snap polls under a non-partisan administration.

“Sheikh Hasina’s government after being overwhelmed by the ongoing movement by Begum Zia [Khaleda Zia], has moved for the polls to divert the rising tide.

“The government has become isolated from the people because of its repression.”

The BNP-led 20-Party Alliance has been enforcing an indefinite transport blockade since Jan 5, the first anniversary of the 2014 national election that it boycotted, expressing lack of confidence in the poll machinery.

Since February, the party also began calling shutdowns on all weekdays.

However, the two-and-a-half-month-long agitation seems to have lost its effect on people’s daily lives with schools, colleges and offices functioning normally.

The EC has announced Apr 28 as the polls date and interested contenders can file nominations until Mar 29. 

Although the BNP is yet to formally announce its decision regarding participating in the polls, a number of senior leaders have hinted they will take part.  

Meanwhile, BNP leader Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, serving a life term for his role in the Peelkhana massacre, has had his lawyer pick up the papers to compete for mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation.

Although Khoka held Monday’s press briefing under the banner of the BNP’s central committee, he was seen with mostly BNP’s US activists.

Khoka went on to say, although he was willing, his physical condition did not allow for him to participate physically in the anti-government movement.