Ishraque holds meeting again at Nagar Bhaban 'to keep citizen services running'
Ward secretaries, administrative officers, and former commissioners were present at the meeting
BNP leader Ishraque Hossain, who has not yet been officially sworn in as Dhaka South mayor, held a meeting at the Nagar Bhaban auditorium for the second day today (17 June) to push efforts for uninterrupted delivery of public services in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).
Ward secretaries, administrative officers, and former commissioners were present at the meeting.
Earlier in the day, Ishraque said he would have taken the Dhaka South City Corporation mayor's chair by now if oath-taking were not mandatory by law.
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"I haven't taken the position of mayor myself. According to the Local Government Act, I cannot perform the duties of mayor until I take the oath. According to the law, an oath-taking ceremony must be held," he said at Dhaka South Nagar Bhaban.
Yesterday, he held a view-exchange meeting with waste management officials and staff of the city corporation, presenting himself as the Dhaka South "mayor".
The meeting, held inside Nagar Bhaban – currently under lockdown by Ishraque's supporters and a section of DSCC employees – featured a banner introducing Ishraque as "manoniyo mayor" (honourable mayor) and chief guest of the programme.
Today's meeting also featured a similar banner introducing Ishraque as the mayor.
Ishraque yesterday said, "It is not about me – it is the people's demand. Whenever I'm invited to an event, organisers write mayor before my name. This is now established through the highest court of the country.
"Those questioning it should educate themselves further. The Election Commission has published a gazette clearly declaring me as the mayor of Dhaka South."
Since 14 May, Ishraque Hossain's supporters have been observing the sit-in programme by locking every gate of Nagar Bhaban. At the same time, they had announced that they will continue this movement until Ishraque is given the responsibility of mayor.
The controversy over Ishraque's mayoral oath stems from the 1 February 2020 Dhaka South election, where Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh of the Awami League was declared the winner amid allegations of irregularities.
Ishraque challenged the results in court, and on 27 March this year, Dhaka's First Joint District Judge and Election Tribunal declared Ishraque the mayor, nullifying the earlier result. The Election Commission published a gazette declaring Ishraque mayor on 27 April.
However, on 14 May, a writ petition was filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Mamunur Rashid seeking to block Ishraque's oath-taking.
The local government ministry postponed the swearing-in, citing legal complications.
On 29 May, the Appellate Division in an order said it is up to the Election Commission to decide whether Ishraque will be sworn in as the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation.
