Nagar Bhaban locked, severe traffic congestion following 6-hr demo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Ishraque Hossain's supporters staged a sit-in before the main gate of the Nagar Bhaban, the headquarters of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), for the fifth consecutive day today, Monday demanding their leader be installed as the mayor of the city corporation.

They staged demonstrations blocking one side of the road in Gulistan’s Mazar area with trucks and ropes from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm, which led to severe traffic congestion on the Gulistan-Sadarghatr road.

Ishraque’s supporters had occupied the entire area from Gulistan Mazar to Police Headquarters during the demonstrations.

Slogans were blasting loud from amplifiers set at different points from Nagar Bhaban to Zero Point area.

A number of small processions were also brought out. Protest songs were performed in front of the Nagar Bhaban main gate.

They held the demonstrations under the banner of ‘Dhakabashi’ (residents of Dhaka) on Sunday.

Former secretary Mashiur Rahman has declared a sit-in in front of the Nagar Bhaban main gate from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Tuesday.

Ishraque’s supporters alleged that the oath of their leader is not being administered due to the ‘interventions’ from local government adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain even after the gazette notification has been published.

The adviser does his official work at the Nagar Bhaban as his temporary office is housed in it. However, he remained absent at the office due to continuous demonstrations by Ishraque’s supporters.

The protesters said they will continue their demonstrations until Ishraque Hossain is sworn in. They would go hardline if needed, they said.

In the election held on 1 February 2020, Awami League’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh defeated BNP’s Ishraque Hossain by nearly 175,000 (1.75 lakh) votes.

However on 27 March this year, an electoral tribunal annulled that result and declared Ishraque Hossain as the lawfully elected mayor.

Earlier on Saturday, Ishraque’s supporters had locked the main gate of the Nagar Bhaban and the offices of several departments within the building. In consequence, all citizen services operations were suspended.

Apart from the Nagar Bhaban, 10 regional offices of Dhaka South City Corporation were also locked down Saturday.

Consequently, civic services provided from those offices were stopped abruptly. These services include birth and death registration, trade licence applications and renewals, tax payments, and so on.