United News of Bangladesh

The High Court on Thursday dismissed a writ petition that sought a directive against administering the oath of office to BNP leader Ishraque Hossain as mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), clearing the way for his swearing-in. A bench comprising Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury passed the order, rejecting the petition filed earlier this month. On May 14, Dhaka South resident Md Mamunur Rashid filed the writ petition seeking a stay on Ishraque’s swearing-in and disciplinary action against the judge who declared him mayor. The petition also challenged the validity of the lower court’s verdict, which overturned the result of the 2020 DSCC polls. The same High Court bench had fixed May 22 for delivering its order on the matter after hearing arguments on May 21. Advocate Kazi Akbar Ali represented the petitioner during the hearing, while Ishraque was represented by his legal team, who welcomed the decision and said there was now no legal barrier to his taking oath as DSCC mayor. The development comes nearly two months after a lower court annulled the 2020 DSCC election result and declared Ishraque Hossain, the BNP-nominated candidate, as the rightful mayor.  Ishraque’s supporters stage sit-in near Matsya Bhaban On February 1, 2020, Awami League candidate Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh was declared the winner of the DSCC election, defeating Ishraque by a margin of nearly 200,000 votes. However, on 27 March 2024, Judge Md Nurul Islam of the Dhaka First Joint District Judge and Electoral Tribunal nullified that result and declared Ishraque the victor. Following the verdict, the constitutional body sought legal advice from the Ministry of Law on 22 April regarding publication of the gazette. Subsequently, on 27 April, the Election Commission issued a gazette notification announcing Ishraque Hossain as the new mayor of DSCC.  Petition against gazette on Ishraque : Judgment deferred to Thursday Meanwhile, Ishraque’s supporters have staged demonstrations in front of Nagar Bhaban and Matsya Bhaban in recent weeks, demanding immediate assumption of office by the newly declared mayor.

Supporters of BNP leader Ishraque Hossain continued their sit-in for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday demanding his swearing-in as the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). Demonstrators from different parts of the city gathered in front of the Nagar Bhaban in the morning and staged sin-in. They locked several entry gates and took position at the entrances, disrupting administrative activities at the DSCC offices. The chanted various slogans including “We demand oath for brother Ishraque”, why delay in oath-taking”, and “People’s mayor Ishraque bhai,  there is  no other mayor.” Shafiur Rahman, a BNP activist from Old Dhaka, alleged that deliberate delays are being made in handing over mayoral responsibilities to Ishraque, blaming LGRD adviser Asif Mahbud Sajib Bhuiyan for the situation. BNP’s Salahuddin accuses interim govt of siding with NCP "We will continue our protest until our demand is met," he said. Jehad Hossain, who came from Sutrapur, said, “Ishraque was elected in public vote. We want to see him assume office without further delay.” Protesters warned of larger demonstrations if the oath-taking ceremony is not held soon. On Saturday, Ishraque's supporters marched toward the Secretariat and declared the adviser "unwelcome". Currently, the Local Government Ministry is operating from the DSCC building due to fire damage at the Secretariat last December. Earlier, Ishraque submitted a letter to the Local Government Division  requesting necessary steps for his swearing-in  followed by a press briefing in the evening. Meanwhile, DSCC Chief Executive Officer Zillur Rahman told the media that administrative work has been hampered due to the ongoing protests. Security Adviser Khalilur trashes BNP's foreign citizenship claim The latest city corporation election was held on February 1, 2020, where Awami League's Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh defeated Ishraque by a margin of nearly 200,000 votes. On March 27 this year, the Dhaka election tribunal annulled that result and declared Ishraque as mayor. The Election Commission published a gazette confirming Ishraque’s mayorship on April 27, but the oath-taking has yet to take place.      

BNP leader Ishraque Hossain on Thursday met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin to know the update over the publication of the gazette notification declaring him as the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). He met the CEC two days after the Election Commission sent a letter to the Law Ministry seeking opinion over the issuance of mayoral gazette notification declaring Ishraque Hossain as DSCC mayor. “The file reached the EC (following the election tribunal’s verdict) and now the gazette notification will be issued.  It (file) has already been sent to the Law Ministry for opinion. Since I was the petitioner in the case, I came to know an update over it,” he told reporters after his meeting with the CEC at the latter’s office in the capital. Rizvi slams fallen fascist forces for exploiting crisis with illicit wealth On March 27 last, an Election Tribunal of Dhaka overturned the 2020 DSCC election result that declared Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh winner and instead pronounced Ishraque Hossain as the rightful mayor. The EC, on April 22, sought the Law Ministry’s opinions on issuance of the gazette notification in favour of Ishraque, son of the last undivided Dhaka mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka. Asked how long he will be allowed to serve as mayor, Ishraque said once the gazette is published and subsequent formalities are completed, he’ll hold a meeting with our legal panel for clarity on the tenure. He said all steps so far have fully followed the due legal procedures in line with the country’s existing laws and local government laws. The DSCC election was held on February 1, 2020, where Ishraque lost to Taposh by some 188,000 votes. According to the then results, Taposh assumed office on May 16, 2020. Since the first meeting of the elected city corporation body took place in June 2020, the DSCC’s five-year term is set to expire in June 2025.

Dhaka South city unit BNP leader Ishraque Hossain on Monday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to law enforcers to arrest two Banani leaders of Students Against Discrimination (SAD) in connection with the murder of Primeasia University Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activist Zahidul Islam Parvez. “We want to give a 48-hour ultimatum to arrest two leaders of Students Against Discrimination (for their involvement in the killing of Parvez),” he said while addressing a rally at Primeasia University. BNP backs reform efforts, says Salahuddin Ishraque, who was recently declared the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) by a court, also warned that if the perpetrators are not arrested within the stipulated time, a tougher course of action would be announced. The JCD Private University unit organised the rally in front of the university’s Banani campus on Monday, protesting the murder of Parvez and demanding the trial of the perpetrators. Jahidul Islam Parvez, a student of the textile engineering department at Primeasia University and an active JCD member who had played an outstanding role during the July-August mass uprising, was hacked to death on Saturday following a brawl over a trivial matter. Ishraque alleged that a meritorious student like Parvez was brutally killed in broad daylight over a petty issue, simply out of animosity towards Chhatra Dal. He said the names of two leaders--Sobhan Niyaz Tushar, joint convener of the Banani Thana SAD unit, and Hriday Miazi, joint member secretary of the same unit-- have emerged in connection with the incident. Ishraque also claimed that attempts are being made to pressure the police not to arrest the two SAD leaders. "Anyone obstructing the arrest of these criminals will also be resisted," the BNP leader said. He urged the government and law enforcement agencies to swiftly arrest those responsible for the killing of the JCD activist and bring them to justice, resisting any effort to shield the offenders. “A criminal is a criminal, regardless of whether they are affiliated with the BNP, Jamaat, NCP, or Students Against Discrimination.” BNP joins 2nd day talks with Consensus Commission Ishraque also called on JCD leaders and activists to return to their academic activities and to report any criminal acts to the authorities instead of taking the law into their own hands. “We want law enforcement agencies to perform their duties and establish the rule of law in Bangladesh.” Ishraque questioned the legitimacy of the committees formed under the banner of SAD across the country after the students involved in the mass uprising established the political party National Citizen Party (NCP). He alleged that a vested quarter, under the guise of SAD, has been engaging in extortion, looting and various other criminal activities all over the country for personal financial gains. Other protesters addressing the rally pointed to a local group known as the ‘Benson Gang’, alleging their involvement in the attack. They also demanded the immediate arrest of all involved in the brutal murder of the JCD activist. Earlier, on Sunday, JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib, at a press conference, alleged that some “terrorists” affiliated with SAD were involved in Parvez’s murder. He also accused SAD of reviving old fascism under a new name on educational campuses, replicating Chhatra League-style intimidation tactics to target Chhatra Dal activists at various institutions.

Police filed a case against nine BNP leaders and activists, including its executive committee member Ishraque Hossain, for attacking police at Jatrabari during the party’s Dhaka divisional rally on December 10. The case was filed Monday at Jatrabari police station following a complaint received from Nowsher Ali, Sub Inspector of Jatrabari police station. The case was filed under different sections of the Penal Code, 1860 and the Explosive Substances Act 1908. read more: Mirza Fakhrul, Abbas shown arrested in Paltan police station case: DB Chief According to the complaint, the accused obstructed police from performing their duty on the day by attacking with locally made arms, sticks, crude bombs at Golapbagh intersection at Jatrabari area. They attacked with attempt of murder and injured police members, vandalised police vehicles and parts of crude bombs were seized from the area. read more: Sabotage case: 7 including Jubo Dal leaders Tuku, Nayan remanded Other accused in the case are, Md Nabiullah Nabi, Senior Joint Convener of Dhaka South BNP, Pavel Shikder, Central Vice President of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, MD Jamshedul Alam Syamol, Joint Convener Md Jakir Hossain Ziku, former Joint Secretary of Dhaka South BNP Raisul Hasan Hobby, Shubho Hsan Babu, Md Kausar, Badal Sardar.

Two separate courts in Dhaka have issued arrest warrants against BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and BNP executive committee member Ishraque Hossain. A Dhaka court issued an arrest warrant against Rizvi Ahmed in a case filed over vandalising a garbage truck of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) in the Tejgaon area in December 2012. The court of Dhaka’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate passed the order on Thursday last. Read: BNP leader Ishraque comes under attack by BCL in city The two other accused were known as Khandker Enamul Haque and Kazi Rezaul Haque, said Atiqur Rahman, bench assistant of the court on Monday (December 5). Meanwhile, the court also fixed March 29 of 2023 for the next hearing in the case. Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on Monday issued an arrest warrant against thirteen people including BNP leader Ishraque Hossain in a case filed with Motijheel Police in 2020. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury issued the warrant after rejecting the time petition, said sub-inspector Shaha Alam of the general registrar branch of the court under Motijheel Police Station. Read: 75 sued over crude bomb blast in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan office Of the 45 accused, 13 accused of the case filed a time petition before the court without appearing for it. According to the case statement, the accused in collusion with each other set fire on a vehicle in Motijheel area opposite to the Bangladesh Bank, in a bid to foil the Dhaka-18 constituency election on June 24, 2020. Ataur Rahman Bhuiya, the then sub-inspector of Motijheel Police Station filed the case against 42 people at Motijheel Police Station.

Nine people were injured when the motorcade of Ishraque Hossain, member of BNP’s foreign affairs committee, was attacked by miscreants on the way to the party’s divisional rally venue in Barishal city this morning (November 05, 2022). Ishraque, also BNP’s Dhaka South City unit leader, was unhurt and reached the venue around 9 am. A number of vehicles were also vandalised during the attack, BNP activists said. Ishraque said a group of miscreants attacked their motorcade when they reached Mahilara Bazar in Gouranadi upazila in the morning. Also read: Thousands gather in Barishal city to join BNP rally Nine activists and leaders of BNP, including Shahidul Haque, general secretary of No 38 Ward of Dhaka South City unit of BNP, and Mamun Bhuiya were injured in the attack. Ishraque also said that they faced a number of obstructions on their way to Barishal. BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan said a group of Awami League and its associate bodies’ activists, numbering 50-60, intercepted the vehicle carrying Ishtiaque Aziz Ulfat, president of Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal, at Gouranadi Bus Stand in Barishal this morning. Later, they forced him to turn back to Dhaka, he said. Read More: Barishal's Bangabandhu Park already a sea of BNP leaders, activists

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson on Sunday went to BNP’s Dhaka South City Corporation polls candidate Ishraque Hossain and discussed various issues relating to the February-1 polls.

The supporters of BNP’s Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayoral candidate Ishraque Hossain engaged in a clash with Awami League activists during electioneering in the city’s Gopibagh area on Sunday.

Even though the electioneering is yet to start, BNP’s two mayoral candidates in the upcoming elections to Dhaka south and north city corporations are worried about the election atmosphere.