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Dhaka, June 1, 2025: Supporters of BNP leader Ishraque Hossain resumed their sit-in protest in front of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Nagar Bhavan on Sunday, June 1, starting at 10:30 AM. They are demanding the immediate swearing-in of Ishraque as mayor in line with a court ruling. The protesters also raised slogans calling for the resignation of Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan.
Led by Robiul Alam Dipu, president of BNP’s Kadamtali Ward No. 52, around a hundred activists joined the movement. Robiul stated, “Ishraque Hossain is the people’s mayor. The government is delaying his oath-taking, resorting to injustice and defying the court’s verdict. We have been part of this movement from the beginning and will not leave the streets until the people’s mayor is sworn in.”
The protesters argue that with the court ruling issued and a writ petition dismissed, there is no reason for further delay. They allege the government is deliberately stalling Ishraque’s assumption of duties. Since May 14, Ishraque’s supporters, under the “Dhaka Residents” banner, have been staging protests at Nagar Bhavan, with additional sit-ins at Motshya Bhavan Mor and Kakrail.
Due to these protests, the Local Government Division at Nagar Bhavan has been closed since May 15, preventing Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan from working at the office. This has caused significant inconvenience to citizens seeking essential services. Suman Hasan, a resident of Bangshal, said, “I came to amend a birth certificate, but the office is closed. No one can say when it will reopen.”
On February 1, 2020, the DSCC election saw Awami League candidate Sheikh Fazle Noor Tapas declared the winner. Ishraque Hossain filed a case on March 3, 2020, alleging irregularities and corruption, seeking to annul the results. Following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, all city corporation mayors were removed. On March 27, 2025, a court ruling annulled Tapas’s victory and declared Ishraque the mayor. The Election Commission issued a gazette on April 27, 2025.
However, legal complications persist regarding Ishraque’s oath-taking. On May 22, a High Court writ seeking to prevent his swearing-in was dismissed. On May 29, the Appellate Division stated that the Election Commission could constitutionally decide on the oath issue.
Residents are urging a swift resolution to this deadlock to ensure essential services are not disrupted.
AI/MR
