Supporters of BNP leader Ishraque Hossain staged a sit-in outside Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) headquarters on Thursday (May 15), demanding that he be sworn in as the mayor, following a court verdict in his favour.
Protesters, under the banner of ‘People of All Walks of Life in Dhaka South’, began gathering in front of the DSCC building in Gulistan around 9:00 am, chanting slogans and carrying banners.
The demonstration caused significant traffic congestion, blocking the road from Golapshah Mazar to Bangabazar.
Participants in the sit-in included members of the Dhaka South City Corporation Workers' Employees Union and Bidyut Samabay Samity, both of which expressed support for Ishraque's claim to office.
Demonstrators said that although the Election Commission had declared Ishraque Hossain the new mayor and a gazette notification was issued on April 27, the administration has delayed his swearing-in “without valid reason.”
Protesters warned that unless Ishraque is formally appointed, they will continue their sit-in indefinitely.
"We will not leave the streets until Ishraque Hossain takes office. The court has spoken, the gazette has been issued — what’s the excuse now?" one protester told reporters at the scene.
This marks the second consecutive day of demonstrations. On Wednesday (May 14), supporters had also gathered in front of the city corporation building and threatened continuous protests unless their demand was met.
Legal Background
Ishraque Hossain, the BNP candidate in the February 2020 Dhaka South City mayoral election, filed a legal challenge against the election of Awami League candidate Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, alleging widespread vote rigging and irregularities.
After a prolonged legal process, Dhaka’s First Joint District Judge and Election Tribunal Judge Md. Nurul Islam annulled the 2020 election results and declared Ishraque Hossain the legitimate mayor of Dhaka South City.
Following the court’s decision, the Election Commission formally published a gazette recognizing Ishraque as mayor.
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