Court declares Ishraque Dhaka South mayor, scraps Taposh’s 2020 win

The gazette issued by the government declaring Taposh as mayor has also been cancelled

A Dhaka court has declared BNP leader Ishraque Hossain as the mayor of Dhaka South, scrapping 2020 election results where Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh emerged victorious.

The gazette issued by the government declaring Taposh, elected under the boat symbol, as mayor has also been cancelled.

Ishraque, who was present in court during the verdict, was declared mayor as a candidate under the paddy sheaf symbol of the BNP.

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.

Alongside Taposh, seven others, including then chief election commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda and returning officer Md Abdul Baten, were accused in the case.

Ishraque’s lawyer Taherul Islam Tawhid said, "We started a case seeking cancellation of the election over alleged irregularities, corruption, and inadmissibility. We also appealed to declare him [Ishraque] as the mayor. The court ruled in our favour today.”

Dhaka North and South City Corporation elections were held on Feb 1, 2020.

Awami League’s mayor candidates Atiqul Islam and Taposh had won the elections in Dhaka North and South before the Election Commission published the gazette the following day.

They swore in and performed their duties until the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government when they lost their seats.

On Oct 16 last year, Mohammadpur police arrested Atiqul in Mohakhali DOHS. Later remanded in different cases, he is currently behind bars.

Taposh, on the other hand, has remained untraceable while different sources claim that he had left the country before Hasina was toppled.