Khoka laid to rest beside his parents at Jurain Graveyard

Dhaka, Nov 07 – The body of former mayor of undivided Dhaka City Corporation and BNP vice-chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka has been laid to rest at Jurain graveyard in the city beside the graves of his parents as per his last wishes.
The body of the valiant freedom fighter was buried at about 7:00 pm on Thursday after the offering of six namaz-e-janazas both home and the USA and giving him state honour. He left innumerable people and his party leaders and activists to mourn.
A 17-member police team led by assistant commissioner Abdul Awal of Dhaka district administration gave him state salute and guard of honour. On behalf of freedom fighters, some freedom fighters led Abdullah Al Noman gave him freedom fighters salute before his burial.
Additional police commissioner Nazmun Nahar among others was present on behalf of the administration.
Khoka was buried at the old graveyard of Jurain beside graves of his mother Saleha Khatun and father M A Karim.
Senior BNP leaders including secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members- Mirza Abbas and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Abdullah Al Noman and Khoka’s family members and people from different sphere of life were present on the occasion.
Before his burial, five namaz-e-janazas of Khoka were held in the city and his body was kept at Jatiya Shaheed Minar where people from different sphere of lives paid respect to his memory.
After reaching Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:30 am, his body was taken to South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad and his first namaz-e-janaza was held there.
The second namaz-e-janaza of Khoka was held in front of BNP central office at 2:00 pm while third namaz-e-janaza at Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) premises, fourth namaz-e-janaza at Brother Union ground and fifth at Dhopkhola ground.
Earlier, his namaz-e-janaza was held at Jamaica Muslim Center Mosque in the USA on Wednesday. Khoka was given a guard of honour after the namaz-e-janaza.
BNP standing committee members Mirza Abbas and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, among others, received his body at the airport. Khoka’s family members returned home with his body.
After reaching the airport, his body was taken to South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad through an ambulance and his first namaz—e-janaza in the country was held amid huge presence of people.
Current and former MPs, leaders of different political parties and the people from all walks of life took part in the janaza held around 11:15 am.
Talking to reporters before the janaza, senior Awami League leader Tofail Ahmed recalled the contributions of Khoka to the country’s Liberation War.
He said Khoka was a nice and modest person. ‘We all have flaws in our lives, but Sadeque Hossain Khoka was an amicable person and a gentleman.’
BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said Khoka was an acceptable politician to all. ‘He initiated the work on building a modern Dhaka. We pray to Allah for the salvation of his departed soul.’
Speaking the gathering, Khoka’s elder son Ishraque Hossain said the participation of leaders and activists of all parties in the janaza had demonstrated that his father was an acceptable leader to all.
He regretted that his father died with pain as he couldn’t breathe his last in the country.
“He (Khoka) returned home with travel documents. He applied for the renewal of his passport in 2017, but he didn’t get it,” he alleged.
He, however, thanked the government for extending cooperation to them in bringing Khoka’s body back home.
Former president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, AL leaders Tofail Ahmed, BNP leaders Moudud Ahmed, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, LDP president Oli Ahmed, Jatiya Party leaders Kazi Firoz Rashid, Moshiur Rahman Ranga, Fakhrul Imam, Krishak Sramik Janata League president Abdul Quader Siddique, and former Bangladesh Bank governor Salehuddin Ahmed, among others, attended the janaza.
After the janaza, Jatiya Party secretary-general Moshiur Rahman Ranga, on behalf of the leader of the opposition in parliament, Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Atiqul Islam, LDP president Oli Ahmed and BNP leaders Moudud Ahmed and the party’s current and ex-MPs paid homage to Khoka by placing wreaths at his coffin.
After his namaz-e-janaza at South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad, his body was taken to Jatiya Shaheed Minar where people from different sphere of life paid rich tribute to him by placing a wreath at his coffin from 12:00noon to 1:00 pm.
Speaking to the gathering at Shaheed Minar, Khoka’s elder son Engr Ishraque Hossain termed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at one of the guardians of the country urging her to determine the future of the country.
He alleged that his father (Khoka) and his family were the victims of the political vengeance.
Ishraque, also a member of the BNP international affairs committee, called upon the premier to remove all the impediments to the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Leaders of different political parties including Mojahidul Islam Selim of CPB, Khalequzzaman of BSD, Abu Syed and Subrata Chowdhury of Ganaforum, ASM Abdur Rab of JSD, Mahmudur Rahman Manna of Nagorik Oikya and Jonayed Al Saki of Gano Sanghati, among others, went to Shaheed Minar to pay tribute to Khoka.
Later, the second namaz-e-janaza of Khoka was held in front of BNP central office at Naya Paltan at 2:00 pm amid a participating huge number of party leaders and activists and people from different sphere of life.
Both sides of the roads in front of BNP party office at Naya Paltan and its adjacent areas field up with huge number of people coming to have a look at the coffin of Khoka and take part in Khoka’s janaza.
The third namaz-e-janaza of Khoka was held at Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) premises at around 3:00 pm. Khoka performed his responsibility as DCC mayor for two terms from 2002 to 2011 at Nagar Bhaban now the DSCC.
Speaking the people, DSCC mayor Syed Khokan said that Khoka worked for the people sincerely and served the people irrespective of political affiliation.
DSCC employees took part in the namaz-e-janaza and they prayed for the salvation of the departed soul of the former Dhaka mayor.
After his janaza at Nagar Bhaban, Khoka’s body was taken to his Gopibagh residence. Later his fourth namaz-e-janaza was held at Brothers Union ground.
Earlier on Monday, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, 67, died in the USA. He had long been suffering from cancer. He had been undergoing treatment at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York since October 18 for cancer with some other health complications.
The former mayor left his wife Ismat Ara, daughter Sarika Sadeque, sons Ishraque, Isfaque Hossain and a host of relatives, followers and well-wishers to mourn his death.
Khoka along with his wife went to the USA in 2014 for treatment while the validity of their passports expired in 2017. – Staff Reporter