Ishraque Hossain says his victory as mayor of Dhaka South was stolen from him once in 2020, and now the government is trying to steal it all over again.
At a press conference Wednesday (25 June), he laid out how the ruling party’s candidate, Fazle Noor Taposh, was handed a manipulated election victory. Then he showed how the system, for a moment, worked: a court on March 27 invalidated that result and declared him the winner.
The Election Commission even backed it up with an official notice in April. But now, he says, the government has created a new roadblock, simply refusing to let him take the office he legally won.
Legal challenges followed. A writ petition was filed on May 14 to stay the gazette, but the High Court dismissed it on May 22, upholding both the gazette and the tribunal’s ruling.
An appeal was later filed with the Appellate Division on May 26. After hearings on May 29 and 30, the court did not issue any injunction. Instead, it directed the Election Commission to arrange Hossain’s swearing-in.
A final order on June 2 reaffirmed there was no legal bar to the swearing-in.
Despite these rulings, Hossain has not assumed office.
He accused the government and the Ministry of Local Government of deliberately delaying the process. He claimed this defies Articles 27, 31, and 59(1) of the Constitution, violates the City Corporation Act of 2009, and amounts to contempt of court under penal code sections 166 and 167.
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Hossain rejected the argument that his term has expired due to the five-year limit starting from Taposh’s first board meeting on June 2, 2020.
“A gazette remains valid unless it is withdrawn, replaced, or canceled by a court,” he said. “None of these have happened.”
He also defended the recent street protests in Dhaka South. Supporters have demonstrated for over a month, demanding his formal induction.
At one point, many city employees—including staff unions—staged a work stoppage, calling for resolution.
On June 23, Hossain urged them to return to work to ensure vital public services continue. He said the decision was not due to pressure or fear, but to ease public hardship.
Following his appeal, city hall and regional offices resumed operations.
He also alleged that government officials tried to obstruct services like issuing birth and death certificates and then blamed protestors for the disruption.
Hossain confirmed that movement leaders will continue symbolic demonstrations in designated areas without disrupting services.
“This is not just about one person or one party,” he said. “It’s about upholding the rule of law and the rights of the voters of Dhaka South.”
