Dhaka, May 19 (V7N) – Supporters of BNP leader Ishraq Hossain have laid siege to the Dhaka South City Corporation’s Nagar Bhaban, demanding that he be officially sworn in as mayor and given administrative authority. The main gate of Nagar Bhaban has been shut down in response to the protest.

Although the program was scheduled to begin at 11 AM, hundreds of BNP activists and affiliated leaders began gathering from 9 AM, coming from various parts of the capital’s southern region.

Protesters claim that despite a court verdict and the Election Commission (EC) publishing a gazette notification declaring Ishraq Hossain the elected mayor, the government has deliberately delayed his oath-taking, citing political discrimination. After four consecutive days of demonstrations and sit-ins, the protesters said they were compelled to escalate their movement with a full-scale blockade of Nagar Bhaban.

They also issued a stern warning, stating that if the government continues to delay the swearing-in process, they will adopt even more severe programs in the coming days.

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) elections were held on February 1, 2020, in which Awami League’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh was initially declared the winner, defeating BNP’s Ishraq Hossain by a margin of 2.5 lakh votes. However, on March 27, the court nullified the 2020 election results and declared Ishraq Hossain as the rightful mayor of Dhaka South.

The current standoff has added new tension to the already heated political landscape, with BNP activists vowing to continue their movement until their demands are met.

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