BNP Vice-Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka has died at a New York Hospital following a long battle with cancer.

Shaherul Kabir Khan, a member of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's press wing, confirmed the news of the veteran party leader's death to Bangla Tribune on Monday (Nov 4).

A Freedom Fighter and former mayor of the undivided Dhaka City Corporation, Khoka had gone to the US in May 2014 for treatment.

The 67-year-old breathed his last at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan.

Khoka is survived by his wife Ismat Ara and their two sons and a daughter, Ishraque Hossain, Ishfaque Hossain and Sarika Sadeque.

BNP acting chief Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir condoled at the death of Khoka and extended sympathy to the bereaved family in statements.

Information Minister Information Minister Hasan Mahmud, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader, Gono Forum President Kamal Hossain and General Secretary Reza Kibria, Krishak Sramik Janata League President Abdul Kader Siddique and General Secretary Habibur Rahman, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD president ASM Abdur Rob and General Secretary Abdul Malek Ratan, Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Khilafat Majlis chief Maulana Mohammad Ishaq and Secretary General Ahmed Abdul Quader, Biplabi Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque, Jatiya Party Presidium Member Syed Abu Hossain Babla, and Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal President Saiful Alam Nirob and General Secretary Sultan Salauddin Tuku, among others, expressed condolence at the death of the former Dhaka mayor.

Khoka stepped into politics through joining Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani’s National Awami Party (NAP).

Later, he joined the BNP and was made party’s Dhaka metropolitan unit president.

Khoka was first elected MP in 1991 from Sutrapur-Kotwali seat and was subsequently made State Minister for Youth and Sports.

He was elected MP from the same seat in 2001 and given the charge of the Minister of Fisheries and Livestock.

Later, he contested Dhaka City Corporation election in 2002 and was elected mayor. He held the post for nearly nine years.

He was arrested days before the Jan 5 national election in 2014.

Released on bail from jail, he was admitted to BIRDEM Hospital in the capital, but doctors could not exactly detect his health problem.

Later, he went to the US on May 14, 2014, and had been receiving treatment there since then.