After two and a half years, Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) Mayor MA Mannan yesterday resumed office after the Supreme Court on May 31 paved the way for him to discharge his duty.

“I was harassed several times as false cases were filed against me. I fought a legal battle and got the chance to serve the people of the city corporation again,” Mannan told reporters after resuming office.

“I will talk to the city corporation officials and will try to complete the tasks on priority basis,” he said.

Thousands of BNP leaders and activists thronged the city corporation area to welcome the mayor.

Mannan, who was elected GCC mayor on July 6, 2013, performed his duty for only some 18 months as he was accused in 30 cases and had been in jail for the rest of the time. He had also been suspended twice.

An adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Mannan became the mayor beating an Awami League candidate by around one and a half lakh votes. He assumed office on August 18 the same year.

On February 11, 2015, police arrested Mannan for his suspected involvement in an arson attack on a bus in Gazipur on February 4. The next month, panel mayor, local Awami League leader Asadur Rahman Kiron, who was elected an ward councillor, was made acting mayor upon a court directive.

Mannan was released from jail on March 2, 2016. He was rearrested on April 15 the same year and released again on January 7 this year. The LGRD ministry suspended him on April 18 last year after a court accepted a charge sheet in a criminal case filed against him.