Two days after requesting the Law Ministry’s opinion on issuing the gazette to declare Ishraq Hossain as mayor of DSCC, the BNP leader met with CEC AMM Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission office in Agargaon on Thursday.

Although Fazle Noor Taposh was declared the winner in the 2020 DSCC election, the Dhaka Election Tribunal annulled the result on 27 March this year. It declared BNP leader Ishraq Hossain the mayor.

One month after the tribunal’s verdict, the EC sought the Law Ministry’s opinion on issuing a gazette notification in Ishraq’s name.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the CEC, the BNP leader said, “The file reached the EC after the verdict, and the gazette will follow. It’s now with the Law Ministry for their opinion. I just wanted an update on the process.”

Once the Law Ministry provides its opinion and the gazette notification is issued, the Local Government Division will arrange the oath-taking ceremony.

Asked about the length of his term, he said, “It depends on the gazette and next steps. We’ll consult our lawyers.”

Ishraq Hossain, son of the last mayor of undivided Dhaka Sadeq Hossain Khoka, said all actions so far have adhered to the country’s laws and followed every local government procedure lawfully.

The Dhaka South City election took place on 1 February 2020. As per the official results, BNP’s Ishraq Hossain lost to Awami League’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh by around 25,000 votes.

Taposh assumed office on 16 May, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the first council meeting was held in the first week of June.

As a result, the city corporation’s five-year term is set to expire in June this year.