There are no longer any legal obstacles to BNP leader Ishraq Hossain taking oath as the Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). The High Court has dismissed a writ petition that sought to block his swearing-in.

On Thursday (May 22), a High Court bench comprising Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury rejected the petition. The court clarified that there is no legal bar preventing Ishraq from assuming the mayoral office.

Ishraq’s lawyer, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, stated, “Following the court’s verdict, there is no legal hindrance to Ishraq Hossain’s oath. If he is not sworn in by May 26, it will amount to contempt of court.”

Earlier, on Wednesday (May 21), the court had deferred the order on the writ to the following day.

Election Annulled, Ishraq Declared Mayor

In the DSCC elections held on February 1, 2020, BNP’s Ishraq Hossain lost to Awami League candidate Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh by a margin of nearly 200,000 votes. Alleging widespread irregularities and corruption, Ishraq filed a case challenging the results on March 3, 2020.

On March 27 this year, the Dhaka Election Tribunal, presided over by Joint District Judge Md Nurul Islam, annulled the previous result and declared Ishraq the validly elected mayor. The Election Commission subsequently published a gazette notification on April 27, officially recognizing Ishraq as the new mayor.

BNP Supporters Stage Protest in Dhaka

In the days leading up to the court’s decision, leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliated organizations held continuous sit-in protests across key locations in Dhaka, including Kakrail and near the Jamuna building, demanding Ishraq be sworn in immediately.

Due to the protests, several roads were blocked, and operations at the DSCC’s main and regional offices were disrupted. Essential services like waste management, mosquito control, and streetlight maintenance were severely affected.

Protesters declared they would not leave the streets until Ishraq is given full authority as mayor. They also warned of tougher programs if their demands are not met.

With the High Court’s verdict now in place, all eyes are on whether Ishraq will be sworn in as mayor by May 26, as per the court’s directive.