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Published : 04 Jun 2025, 07:41 PM
Supporters of Ishraque Hossain demonstrating over the BNP leader’s mayoral oath has eased their protests keeping the Eid-ul-Azha in sight, but the Nagar Bhaban has remained bolted for the 22nd straight day.
With Eid approaching, only staff from the cleanliness, electricity and transport were able to enter the building on Wednesday.
“I went there [on Monday] as well but was not able to go inside. So I roamed around there until the afternoon and then returned home,” said an employee.
On May 14, a resident of Dhaka South and Supreme Court lawyer Md Mamunur Rashid filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking to halt Ishraque’s swearing-in.
In response, Ishraque’s supporters began protesting the same day, demanding that he be sworn in.
Their demonstrations brought administrative operations at Nagar Bhaban to a virtual standstill.
The non-stop agitation has forced a halt on all types of activities at the city hall, though Ishraque’s supporters blamed Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain for the suffering of the people.
They called for the resignation of the advisor.
The main gate of the Nagar Bhaban was found locked on Wednesday afternoon. However, a small door next to the mayor's block remains open, allowing some to move in and out.
The DSCC employees, however, remained on the ground floor.
When asked who was demonstrating, multiple city corporation employees said it was a movement of the “Dhakabasi”, meaning the people of Dhaka.
Around 2pm, the employees began shouting slogans, demanding the immediate swearing-in and passing of the mayoral duties to Ishraque.
Nagar Bhaban Employees’ Unity Council Treasurer Abdul Kaiyum said, “All DSCC employees agree with these logical demands of Dhakabasi. That is why we are pressing on with the programme. Today is the last working day [before Eid], so only emergency services are being provided.”
DSCC Chief Executive Officer Md Zillur Rahman told bdnews24.com that the movement has been eased, but the move does not cover the Nagar Bhaban.
“Ishraque’s people who have been protesting will not come. But the office will remain closed. The employees' union is not officially in the protests, the Dhakabasi are. I have not come to the office [on Wednesday] because Nagar Bhaban is shut.
“However, those from the waste, transport and warehouse departments can work ahead of Eid.”
On Tuesday, Ishraque said: “Keeping the upcoming Eid in sight, the suffering of the people and facilitating their movement, we have relaxed the current blockade and siege of the city hall and will take a break [from protests] for a while.
“If there is no clear message from the government regarding the oath-taking ceremony after the holidays, we will establish the right of Dhaka residents to vote through a strong movement by bringing all levels of people in Dhaka South forward.”
HOW PROTESTS STARTED
The most recent DSCC election was held on Feb 1, 2020.
Awami League candidate Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh defeated BNP’s Ishraque, son of former Dhaka mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, by nearly 200,000 votes in the polls.
Following the change in government, the Dhaka Election Tribunal on Mar 27 annulled the 2020 results and declared Ishraque the rightful mayor.
The EC subsequently published a gazette notification on Apr 27, formally recognising him as DSCC mayor.
Citing legal complexities, the Local Government Division held back on arranging the swearing-in until the matter was resolved in the judiciary.
Ishraque has expressed his anger over the decision and has demanded the resignation of Advisor Asif Mahmud over the delay.
The High Court dismissed the plea on May 22 on the grounds that the petitioner did not have the jurisdiction to file such a plea.
The petitioner then filed an appeal in the Appellate Division against the High Court order on Monday.
After hearing the leave to appeal, the Appellate Division disposed of the petition with observations on Thursday.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the role of the EC, the top court said that the polls watchdog was unable to properly fulfil its constitutional responsibility in this matter.
