Bangladesh court clears way for Ishraque Hossain to be sworn in as Dhaka South Mayor

Dhaka, May 22
A Bangladesh court on Thursday dismissed a writ petition seeking to stay the Election Tribunal's verdict, declaring Ishraque Hossain as Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).

The bench, comprising Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury, delivered the order following a hearing on the writ filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Mamunur Rashid on May 13, local media reported.

Several BNP leaders and activists, who continued their sit-in protest at the Kakrail intersection in Dhaka, demanding Ishraque be sworn in as the new Mayor of DSCC, cheered in happiness outside the state guesthouse 'Jamuna', the official residence of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.

Ishraque's supporters celebrated following the verdict in his favour, leading Bangladeshi daily The Dhaka Tribune reported.

Despite heavy rain, they chanted slogans celebrating and also against Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain.

The supporters of BNP leader Ishraq Hossain had been protesting in Dhaka for more than a week, pressing their demand, local media reported.

On Wednesday evening, thousands of BNP leaders and activists, led by Ishraque, began their sit-in on the road adjacent to Yunus's official reisdence causing a major disruption to traffic on the Matsya Bhaban intersection, Kakrail, and Circuit House Road -- effectively isolating the area.

The protests continued till Thursday morning, with BNP leaders and activists maintaining their positions in front of the mosque and the State Guest House Jamuna, calling for Ishraque to be allowed to take the oath.

Law enforcement agencies were on high alert and have deployed several hundred personnel around the Jamuna residence to ensure security, local media reported.

Meanwhile, Ishraque had announced that he and his supporters would remain on the streets until Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain and Information Advisor Mahfuj Alam resigned from their posts.

Earlier in March, the Dhaka First Joint District Judge and Electoral Tribunal declared Ishraque, a BNP Foreign Affairs Committee member, as the Mayor of DSCC.

After the verdict, the Election Commission published a gazette notification on April 27, officially recognising him as Mayor.

Following this, a writ petition was filed in the High Court seeking to stay the Election Tribunal's verdict, declaring Ishraque as Mayor and instructing the authorities not to administer the oath. However, the High Court dismissed the petition.