AL candidate Taposh says outgoing Mayor Sayeed Khokon supports him

Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh has claimed to have the support of outgoing Dhaka South Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon, who was pipped by the former MP to the Awami League’s ticket.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 21 Jan 2020, 05:23 PM
Updated : 21 Jan 2020, 05:23 PM

Khokon is staying away from campaigning for Taposh because he is barred by law to do so before the end of his tenure, the ruling party candidate says.

Taposh was speaking to reporters before beginning a campaign at Old Dhaka on Tuesday.

“He [Khokon] is still serving as mayor. So, we do not expect any direct cooperation from him in violation of the election rules. But he is always supporting me,” he said.

“He might have been hurt a little bit for not being nominated. But the Awami League has always remained united as a team. The leaders and activists of all levels have held the election ground through spontaneous campaigns,” Taposh said.

An old Dhaka native, Khokon was elected mayor with the backing of the Awami League in the 2015 elections to the city corporations.

His father late Md Hanif was the first elected mayor of undivided Dhaka City Corporation.

After failing to get nomination this time, Khokon had said he accepted party chief Sheikh Hasina’s decision. Hasina made him a member of the party’s Central Working Committee later.