If government fails to arrange swearing-in, will do it myself: Ishraque
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BNP leader Ishraque Hossain on Tuesday warned that if the government fails to arrange his swearing-in as the elected mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), he will take the oath himself, along with the voters of Dhaka.
"This government is now compelled to hear that if arrangements for the mayoral oath-taking are not made immediately, I will take the oath myself with the voters of Dhaka and assume office," Ishraque said while addressing his supporters at Nagar Bhaban in Gulistan.
He, however, postponed the ongoing sit-in considering public suffering ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
“The movement has been suspended from today due to the upcoming Eid. However, if our demands are not met, it will be resumed,” he said.
“We have been controlling Nagar Bhaban for the past two weeks. I could have taken the chair within two minutes, but we didn’t, out of respect for the rules. But if the oath is not administered, we, along with DSCC voters, will take it ourselves and take the chair,” he added.
Ishraque further warned that the people of DSCC will decide how Nagar Bhaban will be run. “No external adviser or administrator will be allowed to run this institution,” he declared.
He alleged that the delay in the mayoral oath-taking has raised questions among the public about the neutrality of elections under the interim government. “This government has lost its impartiality. With the current advisory council, it is not possible to maintain neutrality,” he said.
Since May 15, protesters have locked the main gate of Nagar Bhaban, halting almost all DSCC services—including holding tax, trade licenses, and birth registrations.
He added that if the swearing-in is not held immediately, citizens themselves will arrange it. “Residents of the south will decide who will sit in the mayor's chair. Outsiders will not be accepted at Nagar Bhaban,” he said.
Meanwhile, many corporation officials are reportedly on unannounced leave due to the sit-in. With the gates locked, most official work has been suspended, except for the cleaning department, which remains operational.
Ishraque accused the government of violating the constitution, ignoring the Election Commission's directive, and disobeying court orders by not administering his oath. “If they don’t respect these institutions, then what do they recognize?” he questioned.
Referring to a protest near the residence of the Chief Adviser, he said, “They staged dramas and played with emotions. But a state cannot be run on emotions.”