Dhaka South Mayor Sayeed Khokon has declined to comment after the Awami League dropped him from the mayoral race.
On Sunday (Dec 29), the ruling party said that it has nominated Fazle Noor Taposh, who stepped down as the lawmaker for Dhaka-10 after the announcement, as its candidate for the polls slated for Jan 30.
Khokon, who faced criticism for an outbreak of mosquito-borne disease dengue fever, has confined himself to his residence following the announcement, according to people close to him.
Bangla Tribune reached him and asked whether he would contest as an independent aspirant after being left out from the race, when Khokon declined to comment.
"A lot of things happen in politics. I have no comments on the election," said an apparently disappointed Dhaka South mayor.
Three days ago, when Khokon collected the nomination form of the party, he was in tears seeking blessings from people of all strata.
"I am passing a very hard time now in my political career. So, I am seeking blessings from Dhakaities in this hard time,” Khokon said.
Describing party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as his "guardian in absence of my father", he said then, "My leader will do whatever she considers good for me."
According to sources within the ruling party, the nomination slipped from Khokon’s hand due to his controversial remarks, failure to stamp out mosquitoes and not being able to make good on the pledges made to the citizens.
However, Khokon claims that he has never been lax in his duties as mayor.
Khokon, who got the time to serve and entire term, made headlines when he termed the dengue statistics as rumours.
Khokon is the son of late Dhaka mayor Mohammad Hanif who was also the chief of the party’s Dhaka metro unit.
He joined the Dhaka metro unit in 1999, was appointed the organising secretary in 2004 and went on to become the unit’s vice president.
He defeated BNP's Mirza Abbas during the mayoral polls of 2015.
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