No legal bar for Ishraque to take oath as mayor

The High Court on Thursday (May 22) rejected the writ petition that sought a stay on BNP leader Ishraque Hossain from taking the oath as the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).

Now there is no legal for Ishraque Hossain to take oath as mayor.

An HC bench of Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury issued the order after concluding the hearing on the petition.

Ishraque’s lawyer Mahbub Uddin Khokon stated that there is now no legal bar to administer the oath to Ishraque as mayor.

If he does not administer the oath by May 26, it would be contempt of court, Mahbub Uddin Khokon added.

Senior lawyer Mohammad Hossain was present in support of the writ petition.

On May 13, a writ petition was filed by Md Mamunur Rashid, a resident of DSCC area, with the High Court seeking its directive to prevent BNP leader Ishraque Hossain from taking oath as the mayor of DSCC.

Earlier on March 27, Judge of Dhaka First Joint District Judge and Election Tribunal Md Nurul Islam cancelled the results of the 2020 DSCC election and announced BNP leader Ishraque Hossain as its mayor.

Later on April 27, the EC issued a gazette notification declaring him as mayor.

On April 28, two Dhaka residents, including writ petitioner Mamunur Rashid, sent legal notices to the authorities concerned to appeal or review the verdict and decree given by the Election Tribunal declaring Ishraque as mayor.

The notice also asked to refrain from publishing gazettes in the name of Ishraque and administering oaths to him.

Meanwhile, the supporters of Ishraque Hossain continued their sit-in demanding his swearing-in as the mayor of DSCC.