After several days of continuous protests, the High Court has given its verdict today (Thursday, May 22), allowing BNP leader Ishraq Hossain to take the oath as the Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). The court rejected the petition that was filed to stop his oath-taking.
High Court’s Verdict
A bench of the High Court, formed by Justice Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury, dismissed the writ petition which asked the court to stop Ishraq Hossain from taking the mayoral oath. As a result, there is now no legal barrier for Ishraq Hossain to officially become the mayor.
Supporters Celebration
Supporters of Ishraq Hossain organised a victory rally to show their joy following the court’s ruling. They expressed their happiness with the court’s decision by marching joyfully.
Protest Will Continue
Although the court gave a favorable verdict, Ishraq’s supporters announced that they will not leave the streets just yet. They made it clear that they will continue their protest until two government advisors resign from their posts.
Ongoing Protest for More Than a Week
For the past eight days, Ishraq’s supporters have been holding a sit-in protest in different parts of Dhaka. On Wednesday night, they stayed the whole night in front of the Jamuna building, near Hare Road. Ishraq Hossain himself joined the protesters and stood with them in the movement.
Demands for Resignation of Two Advisors
During the protest, Ishraq Hossain said that although he got the court’s decision in his favor, he is still demanding the resignation of two advisors from the interim government.
He said that “To restore neutrality in the interim government, Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan must resign immediately. Also, Mahfuz Alam, the Information Advisor, should step down as well.”
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More Protesters Join from Different Areas
Since early Thursday morning, the number of protestors began to increase. Supporters joined from various wards and police stations of Dhaka. These groups came in processions, chanting slogans and joining the main rally. Because of the growing crowd, roads from Kakrail to Matsya Bhaban (Department of Fisheries) were closed for public transport.
Slogans Against the Advisors
Protesters were shouting slogans demanding the resignation of Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan and Mahfuz Alam. The demand for their removal became one of the main goals of the protest.
Tight Security in the Area
In response to the growing protest, the police increased their presence near the Jamuna building. Members from the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and even the army were seen in a high-alert position from early in the morning.
