Ex-mayor Ariful stages sit-in, demands removal of Sylhet’s DC

Former Sylhet City Corporation mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury staged a sit-in protest on the streets today, Wednesday, demanding the removal of Sylhet’s deputy commissioner (DC) Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad, labeling him as 'administratively incompetent and ineffective'.

The protest began at 10:30am at Court Point, one of the busiest areas of the city. Ariful declared the sit-in as a movement to uphold the rights of workers, owners, and businesspeople. Leaders of local BNP and its affiliated organisations, along with transport workers' union leaders, also joined the programme.

Around 150 people took part in the sit-in led by Ariful Haque on the sidewalks and part of the road at Court Point. Although people gathered at 10:30am, the event formally started at 11:30am, moderated by former joint secretary of the city BNP, Humayun Ahmed Masuk. The rally concluded at 1:00pm.

Abdul Razzak, BNP central assistant secretary for microcredit affairs, Ishtiaq Ahmed Chowdhury, acting general secretary of district BNP, Sadiqur Rahman, vice president of the city BNP, Haji Moynul Islam, president of the District Road Transport Owners-Workers Unity Council, Haji Abdur Rahim, president of the District Bus-Minibus-Coach Owners Association, Md Abdus Salam, assistant secretary of the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation and Nurul Islam, member-secretary of the district labour Party, among others, attended the sit-in led by BNP chairperson's advisor and former City mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury.

Transport owners and labour leaders announced that if the DC is not removed by this Friday, all forms of transport across Sylhet will be shut down from Saturday.

Ariful Haque claimed that the district administration had recently disconnected legal electricity connections to stone crushing machine operators without prior notice.

Additionally, he said that roadside establishments in the city’s Majortila area were demolished without any advance warning. He accused the DC of damaging the region's business-friendly environment and stated that businesspeople and professionals across sectors were uniting to protest and demand the DC's removal.

Ariful further said that although the DC called a meeting today with stakeholders from the stone industry, none of the business or labour leaders attended. “After subjecting people to repression, the DC is now calling them to the table. Everyone has rejected the meeting with contempt,” he said. Ariful warned of a tougher movement if the DC is not withdrawn by 4 July.

Meanwhile, a source within the local BNP said that Ariful Haque Chowdhury has had ongoing disagreements and distance with the DC over various matters. Taking advantage of recent discontent among stone traders over halted leases and eviction drives in Majortila, Ariful has launched his 'Remove the DC' campaign.

City BNP’s acting president Rezaul Hasan Kayes Lodi told Prothom Alo, “The BNP is not officially involved with Ariful Haque Chowdhury’s ‘Remove the DC’ campaign. This is entirely his personal initiative. However, the situation in Sylhet is becoming increasingly unstable.”

According to district administration sources, in recent days, stone traders and workers have launched various programmes—including work stoppages and transport strikes—demanding the reopening of leased stone quarries and the reconnection of electricity to stone crushers. In response, the DC held a meeting at noon today with political leaders, stone industry stakeholders, and labour representatives.

Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury, president of Sylhet city BNP, Rezaul Hasan Kayes Lodi, acting president of Sylhet city BNP, Habibur Rahman and Zainal Abedin, amir and secretary of district Jamaat-e-Islami, Muhammad Fakhrul Islam and Md Shahjahan Ali, amir and secretary of the city Jamaat attended the meeting.

Rejecting Ariful Haque’s accusations, DC Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad told Prothom Alo, “The disconnection of electricity to stone crushers is being carried out under directives from the ministry. Additionally, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) is demolishing illegal structures as part of the Sylhet-Tamabil regional highway expansion project. Government officials are simply fulfilling their official duties. It’s unfortunate that a protest is being held demanding my removal under such circumstances.”