DHAKA, May 22 (V7N) – The High Court has dismissed a writ petition that sought to prevent BNP leader Ishraq Hossain from being administered the oath as the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). This decision, passed by a High Court bench of Justice Md. Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury on Thursday, May 22, 2025, effectively removes any legal obstacle to Ishraq Hossain taking the mayoral oath, according to lawyers involved in the case.

The hearing on the writ petition had commenced at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, continuing until approximately 2:00 PM before being adjourned. The hearing resumed later that day, from 4:10 PM to about 5:15 PM. Initially, the order was scheduled for 12:30 PM on Wednesday but was postponed to Thursday for its issuance.

The writ petition, filed on May 14, had sought two primary directives: to prevent Ishraq Hossain from taking the oath as DSCC mayor and to initiate disciplinary action against the First Joint District Judge of Dhaka and the Judge of the Election Tribunal who had previously declared Ishraq Hossain as mayor.

Background of the Case:

The Dhaka South City Corporation elections were held on February 1, 2020. In that election, Awami League candidate Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh was initially declared the winner, securing 4.25 lakh votes for the post of Dhaka South mayor. The Election Commission published the gazette of these results on February 2, and Taposh subsequently took the oath and commenced his duties. His closest rival, Ishraq Hossain of the BNP, received 2.36 lakh votes.

On March 3, 2020, Ishraq Hossain filed a case seeking the cancellation of the election results, alleging irregularities and corruption.

Following a change in government, all city mayors across the country were removed, and Additional Secretary Shahjahan Mia assumed the role of administrator for Dhaka South City.

Subsequently, on March 27, Dhaka's First Joint District Judge and Election Tribunal Judge Md. Nurul Islam issued a verdict annulling Taposh's victory and declaring BNP leader Ishraq Hossain as the mayor. The court ordered the publication of the gazette within 10 days, which the Election Commission complied with on April 27.

On the same day the gazette was published, two individuals, Rafiqul Islam and Mamunur Rashid, served a legal notice indicating their intent to appeal against the verdict and decree that declared Ishraq the mayor. The notice also requested Ishraq to refrain from publishing the gazette and taking the oath.

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