Supporters of Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Ishraque Hossain blockaded the roads in front of Nagar Bhaban, Gulistan, Kakrail Crossing, and Matsya Bhaban on Wednesday, demanding his swearing-in as the South City mayor.
They blocked the road at around 11:00am, creating traffic in the surrounding areas and causing suffering to city dwellers.
The protesters also kept the gates of headquarters, Nagar Bhaban, locked for sixth working days, causing suffering to service seekers as the administrative activities of the South City Corporation remained stalled since May 15.
Meanwhile, the High Court is set to pass an order today (Wednesday) on a writ petition challenging the legality of a gazette notification that declared Ishraque as DSCC mayor.
The protest started on May 14 under the banners of Dhakabashi, Dhaka South City Corporation Sramik Karmachari Union (associated with Jatiyatabadi Shramik Dal, labour organisation backed by the BNP), and Biddut Karmachari Samajkallayan Samity.
On Tuesday, the protesters threatened to halt all civic services if their demand for the BNP leader鈥檚 swearing-in as Dhaka鈥檚 south mayor was not fulfilled by today.
On March 27 this year, Dhaka鈥檚 First Joint District and Election Tribunal judge Md Nurul Islam declared Ishraq Hossain as the rightful mayor, annulling the results of the 2020 Dhaka South City Corporation elections that declared Fazle Noor Taposh as the winner.
On April 27, the EC issued a gazette declaring Ishraq as the DSCC mayor.
Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, who took charge as DSCC mayor on May 16 in 2020, addressed his first board meeting on June 2 in 2020.
According to the Local Government (City Corporation) Act 2009, the election to any city corporation should be held within 180 days of its five-year tenure that starts with the first meeting of the board of the corporation.聽
On August 19 in 2024, two weeks after the fall of the Awami League regime on August 5 in 2024, the interim government dismissed the mayoral appointments of all 12 city corporations.
