Local Government, Rural Development and cooperatives adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, said on Thursday that a decision would soon be made about the Dhaka South City Corporation as the protest halting its services entered its 36th day.
Replying to a question at the inaugural ceremony of 44 under-construction public libraries through upazila parishads at the secretariat, he said, 鈥楾here is no scope to remain silent as civic services are heading towards a deadlock.鈥�
The adviser also said that the high-level of the government was concerned about the situation.
鈥業 will implement whatever decision comes from the discussions at the high level very soon,鈥� he added.聽
Meanwhile, supporters of Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Ishraque Hossain continued their sit-in programme, locking the Nagar Bhaban, the headquarters of the DSCC, to press home their demand for Ishraque鈥檚 swearing-in as the DSCC mayor.
Since May 15, civic services at Nagar Bhaban and other DSCC zonal offices have remained halted due to protests, causing immense suffering to city dwellers.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ishraque alleged that the interim government was 鈥榙eliberately鈥� disrupting services at the DSCC to shift the blame onto him, saying that 鈥榯he local government adviser and the secretary instructed the DSCC regional executive officers not to sign off on birth and death certificates, as well as warisan certificates.鈥�
Under banners referring to Ishraque as 鈥楬onourable Mayor鈥� and 鈥楨lected Mayor,鈥� he held separate meetings with employees of the DSCC waste management, DSCC ward secretaries, and the DSCC health department on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at Nagar Bhaban.
He also inaugurated a mosquito control programme there.
Earlier, adviser Asif told media that the oath could not be administered because the gazette鈥檚 validity had expired while the matter was under consideration.
The EC on April 27 this year issued a gazette declaring Ishraque as the DSCC mayor after the Election Tribunal announced him as mayor on March 27.
But the EC gazette was challenged by Supreme Court lawyer Mamunur Rashid, who filed a writ against the notification on May 14.
Later, the court cleared the way for his mayoral oath, but the Local Government Division has yet to take any steps in this regard.
After the fall of the Awami League regime on August 5, 2024, the interim government declared the DSCC mayoral office vacant on August 19.
