Dhaka south mayor: Protesters step up push for Ishraque
Supporters of BNP leader Ishraque Hossain have ramped up their demonstrations demanding he be sworn-in as the Dhaka South City Corporation mayor immediately.
For the fifth consecutive day yesterday, they kept Nagar Bhaban blocked, causing the suspension of 28 civic-service deliveries from there.
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They, under the banner of "Dhakabashi", also blocked the one part of road from Golapshah Mazar intersection at Gulistan to Bangabazar intersection for six hours from 10:00am, causing commuters to suffer.
BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed yesterday at a programme in Sylhet warned that the ongoing protests in Dhaka may escalate if Ishraque was not allowed to take the oath of office soon.
He said, "People have locked down Nagar Bhaban for days and issued an ultimatum to the local government adviser. The court declared Ishraque the elected mayor, and the Election Commission issued a gazette in his name, yet he is not being sworn in, and excuses are being made. Is this the rule of law?"
The BNP leader accused the chief adviser and the adviser of local government of ignoring court orders and constitutional responsibilities. "If you disregard the court ruling and the Election Commission gazette, are you not directly opposing democracy?"
He urged the authorities concerned to immediately arrange the swearing-in of Ishraque as DSCC mayor. "Otherwise, the protest in Dhaka may expand into a larger movement," he warned.
Earlier, LGRD Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain on Facebook alleged that the BNP was attempting to shut down Nagar Bhaban to install Ishraque as DSCC mayor. He said Ishraque's swearing-in was not feasible due to 10 unresolved legal and procedural complications.
He criticised the protest as an undemocratic attempt to achieve political goals by disrupting public services and causing difficulties for citizens.
Ishraque on Facebook said the mayoral post is not the issue. The protest aims to expose the hidden lust for power among some members of the government.
He alleged that attempts to block the BNP's mayoral candidate revealed the government's real intentions regarding national elections. "No further discussion is acceptable. Those who have abandoned neutrality and acted as representatives of a particular party must resign immediately," Ishraque said.
THE PROTEST
Protesters yesterday again padlocked the main gate of Nagar Bhaban, causing the suspension of all operations, including critical services such as waste management, mosquito control, trade licencing, and the issuance of birth and death certificates.
The prolonged demonstrations have paralysed not only DSCC operations but also disrupted the activities of the LGRD ministry, which shares the Nagar Bhaban premises.
Ministry officials said Adviser Asif Mahmud had been relocated to the National Sports Council building, while Secretary Rezaul Maksud Jahedi has temporarily moved his office to the Secretariat.
Supporters of Ishraque also announced that the sit-in would continue from 10:00am to 5:00pm today, said Moshiur Rahman, who leads the demonstrations.
SUFFERINGS
On average, Nagar Bhaban serves between 5,000 and 7,000 citizens a day.
A DSCC official said Zone-1 and Zone-4 of Nagar Bhaban had become non-operational.
A senior official of the DSCC's revenue department confirmed that all revenue-related activities, even at regional offices, are suspended.
"We cannot issue or renew trade licences or process certificates due to the blockade," the official said.
Rafiqul Islam, a resident of Narinda, came to register the births of his twins but had to leave without getting the job done.
"I need their birth certificates to apply for passports as we are planning to go abroad, but I can't proceed now," he told The Daily Star.
The disruption has raised concerns among DSCC engineers and health officials.
"Supervision and paperwork for ongoing projects like road repairs and drainage maintenance are completely halted…," a DSCC engineer said.
Contractors are also facing delays in payments, affecting thousands of labourers and suppliers just weeks before Eid, according to a source in the revenue department.
The DSCC's health department expressed alarm over the suspension of mosquito repellent distribution, warning of a potential dengue outbreak.
Many crucial tasks ahead of Eid have also stopped. These include finalising the tender process for temporary cattle markets, managing waste disposal, and preparing Eidgahs.
An official said, "We usually deploy extra manpower, hire additional vehicles, and coordinate with multiple agencies for Eid waste management, all of which require official letters and logistical planning. But everything is now stalled."
Even preparations for the national Eid congregation at the National Eidgah have come to a halt.
DSCC Administrator Md Shahjahan Mia said, "Garbage trucks can't operate because we can't issue fuel slips. Mosquito repellents are locked in storage."
[Our Sylhet correspondent contributed to this report.]
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