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Published : 30 Apr 2025, 05:32 PM
The Election Commission (EC) has issued a gazette declaring BNP leader Ishraque Hossain as Dhaka South mayor to implement an Election Tribunal order as the law ministry was unable to give its opinion on the matter “on time”, according to Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah.
Speaking after the fourth meeting of the EC on Wednesday, he said the gazette had been issued in order to comply with a court order.
On Mar 27, Judge Md Nurul Islam of Dhaka District Judge’s Court and the Election Tribunal court declared Ishraque the mayor of Dhaka South, scrapping the 2020 election results where Awami League leader Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh emerged victorious.
On Apr 22, the EC sought the law ministry’s counsel on issuing the gazette after receiving a copy of the tribunal’s verdict. On Sunday, the EC issued a gazette naming Ishraque the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).
The following day, Law Advisor Asif Nazrul claimed that the gazette was issued before the ministry could deliver its opinion.
The EC asked for an opinion from the law ministry though it is not a requirement.
Advisor Asif said, “We came to know that the plaint cannot be changed in an election case because it is a quasi-civil matter. In such cases, the plaint cannot be changed. Ishraque must have changed the plaint later. That is why we were a little confused whether it would be gazetted or we would have to appeal. The Election Commission did not wait for our opinion. They issued the gazette by themselves."
When the matter was brought up to Sanaullah, he said: “We were obligated to resolve this within 10 days, and we did so. We sought the opinion of the law ministry as soon as possible. Friday, Apr 25 was the tenth day and Saturday was a holiday. We waited until 5pm on Sunday, Apr 27, and upon receiving no opinion, the commission made the decision [to issue the gazette]."
A copy of the gazette was sent to the Local Government Division to take the next step for the swearing-in of the new mayor. The term of Ishraque's mayorship will be announced during the ceremony.
The Dhaka North and South city corporation elections were held on Feb 1, 2020.
Awami League’s mayoral candidates Atiqul Islam and Taposh had won the elections in Dhaka North and South, respectively, before the EC published the gazette the following day.
Taposh took over as mayor on May 16 that year and the first meeting was held in June.
The erstwhile mayors performed their duties until the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on Aug 5, 2024, when they lost their posts.
On Mar 3, Ishraque appealed to overturn the results of the 2020 Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayoral election, bringing charges of irregularities, corruption and lack of credibility.
