Who are all 6 newly appointed city corporation administrators from BNP

Within a week of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) coming to power, the previous administrators of six city corporations across the country, including Dhaka north and south, were replaced. All those appointed to these posts are leaders of the BNP.

Immediately after taking office, local government minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said elections in local government institutions would be arranged “as soon as possible.” Meanwhile, a notification appointing the new administrators was issued by the local government division (city corporation-1 branch) under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives.

After the Bangladesh Awami League (AL) was ousted from power in the July mass uprising of 2024, the interim government removed the mayors of the city corporations upon taking office. ‘Political’ administrators were then appointed. Now, after the BNP came to power through elections, ‘political’ administrators have again been appointed.

The new administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is Abdus Salam. This veteran BNP leader was once the deputy mayor of the undivided Dhaka City Corporation.

Abdus Salam was the member secretary of Dhaka city BNP. Later the Dhaka city BNP was divided into north and south units. Abdus Salam is now the president of Dhaka city south BNP. He is also a member of the BNP chairman’s advisory council.

Though he was a candidate in the 2018 election, Abdus Salam did not contest this time. However, in the 13th parliamentary election he served as chief coordinator of BNP chairman Tarique Rahman’s election steering committee in the Dhaka-17 constituency.

During the Awami League government, DSCC mayor was Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh. He left the country two days before the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on 5 August 2024. During the interim government, Shahjahan Mia was appointed DSCC administrator on 13 February 2025 while also serving as additional secretary of the local government division.

At the end of October last year, Shahjahan Mia was removed from the DSCC administrator post. In November, Md Mahmudul Hasan was appointed to the post as an additional duty while serving as director general of the planning, monitoring, evaluation and inspection wing of the local government ministry. Abdus Salam has now replaced him.

The new administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is Shafiqul Islam Khan. He was BNP candidate in the 13th parliamentary election from Dhaka-15 constituency. He lost to Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Shafiqur Rahman in the constituency comprising Shewrapara, Kazipara, Kafrul, and part of Mirpur.

Shafiqul Islam Khan is vice-president of the central committee of Jubo Dal, youth wing of the BNP. Previously he was member secretary of Dhaka city north unit of Jubo Dal.

During the Awami League government, DNCC mayor was Atiqul Islam. He took office in 2019. After the political change of 2024 he was arrested and is now in jail.

During the interim government, Mohammad Ejaz was appointed DNCC administrator for one year on 12 February 2025. After the term expired, Suraiya Akhtar Jahan, an additional secretary of the local government division, was appointed earlier this month with additional responsibility. She has now been replaced by Shafiqul Islam Khan.

Veteran politician Nazrul Islam Monju has been appointed administrator of Khulna City Corporation. He is BNP central organising secretary.

Before 2021 he served 28 years as general secretary and president of Khulna city BNP (16 years as general secretary and 12 years as president).

Former MP Nazrul Islam Monju was BNP candidate with the paddy sheaf symbol in Khulna-2 constituency in the 13th parliamentary election but did not win. He lost to Jamaat-e-Islami Khulna city general secretary Sheikh Jahangir Hossain Helal.

Despite BNP alliance defeat in the 2008 national election, Nazrul Islam Monju won in Khulna-2. He was BNP candidate again in 2018 election and also BNP-nominated mayoral candidate in Khulna City Corporation election that year. He lost both.

During the interim government, Mokhtar Ahmed had been administrator. Nazrul Islam Monju has replaced him.

Shawkat Hossain Sarkar has been appointed new administrator of Gazipur City Corporation. He is president of Gazipur city BNP.

Gazipur City Corporation was formed in 2013. Before that Shawkat Hossain Sarkar was chairman of Kashimpur Union Parishad for 10 consecutive years. His father Gias Uddin Sarkar, uncle Sohrab Uddin Sarkar, and grandfather Jabed Ali Sarkar were also chairmen of the same union parishad.

During the Awami League period, Jahangir Alam was the Gazipur mayor. During the interim government, the administrator was Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury. Shawkat Hossain Sarkar has replaced him.

Sakhawat Hossain Khan has been appointed administrator of Narayanganj City Corporation. He is senior vice-president of Narayanganj city BNP.

Known as a defence lawyer of the sensational seven-murder case, Sakhawat Hossain Khan was president of Narayanganj District Bar Association. He was BNP candidate in the 2016 Narayanganj City Corporation election. Awami League candidate Selina Hayat Ivy defeated him by 78,967 votes.

Selina Hayat Ivy was later removed and arrested during the interim government period and is now in jail. Abu Nasr Mohammad Abdullah had been appointed administrator during the interim government. Sakhawat Hossain Khan has replaced him.

Abdul Qaiyum Chowdhury is the new administrator of Sylhet City Corporation. He is president of Sylhet district BNP.

Former office secretary of the central committee of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Abdul Qaiyum Chowdhury also served as organising secretary and vice-president of the central Jubo Dal committee. He was political secretary to former finance and planning minister M Saifur Rahman.

He was elected president of Sylhet district BNP on 29 March 2022. From 29 October 2023 to 12 March 2024 he coordinated BNP’s movement in Sylhet and was organisational in-charge of Sylhet division.

During the 4-Party Alliance government he was director of Bangladesh Cricket Board. He is currently syndicate member of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology.

He sought BNP nomination in Sylhet-3 constituency (Dakshin Surma, Fenchuganj, Balaganj) in the 13th parliamentary election but did not get it. Former president of UK chapter BNP, MA Malik, got the nomination. In the election Abdul Qaiyum Chowdhury coordinated BNP candidates in all Sylhet parliamentary seats.

He replaced Khan Md Reza-un-Nabi, appointed during the interim government.