Citizen services to continue amid ongoing protest: Ishraque

Engineer Ishraque Hossain has declared that citizen services at the city corporation building, which were halted due to the ongoing protest, will resume, while the movement demanding his oath-taking as mayor will also persist.

On Sunday (June 15), Ishraque expressed solidarity with the protesters gathered under the “Dhaka Bashi” banner at the city corporation building.

His supporters have been holding the building locked for an extended period, but Ishrak did not specify how citizen services will be maintained under these conditions.

Ishraque accused the current government of rigging elections and illegally altering results during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, a fact he says has been confirmed by the court’s verdict. He urged the government to resolve the issue swiftly.

He assured that urgent citizen services would remain operational despite the protest, which will continue until his oath-taking as mayor is formally recognized.

“The government decided from the start not to let me assume office as mayor,” Ishraque said, referencing recent statements from the law adviser.

The protest demanding Ishraque’s oath began on May 14, led by city corporation employees, BNP leaders, and his supporters under the “Dhaka Bashi” banner. After a brief 48-hour pause, the demonstrations resumed.

The protest had suspended all city corporation services for three weeks before Eid. On June 3, Ishraque temporarily paused the movement, taking into account public hardships during the Eid holidays.

Due to the ongoing sit-in, city corporation officials have been on an unofficial strike, with the gates locked and most administrative work at a standstill. Only sanitation services continue to operate.