Ex-Dhaka mayor Khoka’s body brought home

The body of former mayor of undivided Dhaka City Corporation and BNP vice-chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka arrived on Thursday morning from the USA.

A flight of Emirates Airline carrying his body landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 8:28am, said BNP Chairperson’s media wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan.

The family members of the BNP leader, including his wife Ismat Ara, also returned in the same flight.

BNP standing committee members Mirza Abbas and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku received the body at the airport on behalf of the party.

Khoka, a valiant freedom fighter, who had long been suffering from cancer, died at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York on Monday. 

His first Namaz-e-Janaza was held at Jamaica Muslim Center, New York on Monday night. A large number of expatriate Bangladeshis participated in it.

As per his final wish, the BNP leader is scheduled to be buried at Jurain graveyard beside the graves of his parents in the evening. 

Before the burial, four janazas – in front of South Plaza of National Parliament at 11am, BNP central office after Zohr prayers, at Nagar Bhaban at 3pm and in Dhupkhola field after Asr prayers – will be held in the capital for the former mayor.

Besides, Khoka’s body will be kept at the Central Shaheed Minar from 12pm-1pm so that people can pay their last respect to the valiant freedom fighter.

After his Janza at Nagar Bhaban, Khoka’s body will be taken to his Gopibagh residence.

Khoka, also a former minister and MP, is survived by his wife Ismat Ara, daughter Sarika Sadeque, sons Ishraque and Isfaque Hossain.

He went to the USA in 2014 for treatment.