The political impasse over Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayoral oath-taking keeps escalating as BNP leader Ishraque Hossain on Thursday threatened more protests unless he’s sworn in immediately, following a Supreme Court verdict upholding his electoral victory.
In an address to supporters outside DSCC Nagar Bhaban, Ishraque– surrounded by chanting activists holding umbrellas against the downpour– declared: This isn’t just about my rights, but about enforcing the rule of law.
His remarks came hours after the Appellate Division’s, led by Chief Justice Syed Refat Ahmed, dismissed a petition seeking to stay the Election Commission’s gazette declaring Ishraque as mayor.
The legal saga traces back to the contentious February 2020 DSCC election, where Awami League’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh was declared winner. After a three-year court battle and a change-over in power, Dhaka’s Election Tribunal overturned those results on March 27 this year, ruling in favour of Ishraque’s allegations of vote rigging.
The EC issued a fresh gazette on April 27. However, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development & Co-operatives has since refused to administer the oath, citing ‘legal complications’.
The standoff has frozen DSCC’s operations since May 14, when Ishraque’s supporters– including city corporation employees– locked the building’s gates and launched rotating protests. Services ranging from birth registrations to trade licenses remain suspended.
“This is judicial contempt,” Ishraque asserted, accusing LGRD Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain of political bias.
“We are giving the interim government one last chance. Do not go against the people. If you’re creating this much complication over the swearing-in of just one person, how will you manage elections and the swearing-in of MPs in 300 constituencies? This has raised serious concerns among the public,” he said.
The BNP leader demanded Adviser Asif Mahmud’s resignation, warning of “tougher protests with city residents” if the verdict is not implemented by Friday.
Ishraque said, “The gazette has been upheld. This proves that from the very beginning, we have respected the rule of law. We, my party BNP, have always honoured the law. It has also become clear that some advisers of the current government have tried to delay and manipulate the verdict.”
Currently, the 14-day deadlock has paralysed DSCC’s municipal services, triggered chronic traffic jams, and now risks morphing into a wider crisis for the interim government.
Supporters of Ishraque, son of late Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, continued their steadfast protest at Nagar Bhaban on Thursday, saying they would not leave until he takes charge of Dhaka South.