BNP Chairperson’s adviser and senior lawyer Barrister M Mahbub Uddin Khokon has stated that if Ishraq Hossain is not sworn in as the Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) following the High Court’s verdict, it would constitute contempt of court. He made the remark during a press briefing held at the High Court premises on Thursday, May 22.

Barrister Khokon emphasized that since the writ petition challenging Ishraq’s oath was dismissed, there is now no legal barrier to his swearing-in. “He must be sworn in by May 26,” he said.

He further added that a certain group had attempted to block the oath-taking process, but their efforts failed. “If the oath is delayed any further, it will be a clear case of contempt. We hope the government will respect the rule of law and implement the tribunal and High Court Division’s rulings by arranging his oath within the next 24 hours,” he stated.

Earlier, a High Court bench of Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury dismissed the writ petition filed on May 14, which sought to prevent BNP leader Ishraq Hossain from taking the oath as DSCC mayor. The petition also called for disciplinary action against the Election Tribunal judge who had declared Ishraq the winner.

The petition was filed by Md Mamunur Rashid, a resident of Dhaka South, and was represented by lawyer Kazi Akbar Ali.

In the 2020 DSCC election held on February 1, Awami League candidate Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh won with a margin of nearly 200,000 votes over BNP’s Ishraq Hossain. However, on March 27, 2025, Dhaka’s First Joint District Judge and Election Tribunal Judge Md Nurul Islam annulled that result and declared Ishraq as the rightful mayor.

Following the tribunal’s verdict, the concerned constitutional body sought advice from the Ministry of Law on April 22 regarding the publication of the gazette. On April 27, the Election Commission issued the official gazette announcing Ishraq Hossain as the new Mayor of DSCC.

Meanwhile, Ishraq’s supporters have been staging sit-ins for several days in front of Nagar Bhaban and Matsya Bhaban, demanding that he be allowed to take office.