Abu Jakir :
Life for thousands of residents under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has been severely disrupted, with nearly all civic services suspended for over 20 days due to an ongoing blockade of Nagar Bhaban.
The protest, led by supporters of BNP-backed mayoral candidate Ishraque Hossain and city corporation worker unions, began on 15 May, demanding his immediate swearing-in as mayor.
With the main entrance to DSCC headquarters locked and no resolution in sight, essential public services-including birth registration, trade licence issuance, and administrative processing-have come to a complete halt, leaving citizens in distress.
Only limited waste management and mosquito control operations are functioning, albeit under strain due to inconsistent supplies of insecticides.
Speaking to The New Nation, DSCC Chief Executive Officer Md. Zillur Rahman confirmed that no work has been conducted inside Nagar Bhaban since the blockade began.
“We are managing some urgent and time-sensitive matters-such as tender-related work-from the Secretariat. But the backlog is growing, causing considerable hardship for both citizens and city officials,” he said.
The timing of the disruption is particularly damaging. May and June are typically peak months for DSCC’s annual revenue collection, accounting for over a third of total yearly income. This year, however, operations have ground to a halt.
Deputy Chief Revenue Officer Shahjahan Ali noted, “Offices will remain closed until 14 June due to Eid holidays. We had only just resumed a major revenue drive, following setbacks last year during student protests. This blockade has derailed our efforts once again.”
The crisis also threatens to derail preparations for Eid-ul-Azha. Chief Waste Management Officer Air Commodore Md. Mahabubur Rahman Talukder expressed concern that the city’s readiness to manage sacrificial waste is now in question.
“We’ve not been able to finalise tenders for cattle markets, nor hold the necessary pre-Eid coordination meetings. Even routine maintenance of waste trucks and procurement of bleaching powder have been stalled. If this deadlock continues, a sanitation crisis during Eid is inevitable,” he warned.
Ordinary residents have been hit hard by the prolonged disruption. Shoukhin Sarkar, a South Dhaka resident, voiced his frustration: “I’m trying to get a trade licence to start a new business, but I can’t even access Nagar Bhaban. How long are we supposed to endure this?”
He urged the interim government, led by Dr Yunus, to step in immediately. “This lawless situation cannot be allowed to continue. People are suffering-someone must take responsibility,” he said.
The impasse stems from a protracted legal battle over the 2020 DSCC mayoral election. Awami League’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh was initially declared the winner, but his victory was challenged by BNP’s Ishraque Hossain, citing alleged electoral irregularities.
On 27 March 2025, an election tribunal ruled in Ishraque’s favour, nullifying Taposh’s win. The Election Commission subsequently published a gazette notification on 27 April confirming Ishraque as the duly elected mayor. However, he has yet to be sworn in.
Frustrated by the delay, Ishraque Hossain issued a strong warning on Monday, threatening to take the oath unilaterally if the government fails to arrange an official swearing-in.
“We will not allow unelected administrators or advisors to run Nagar Bhaban. It is the people of Dhaka who must decide who governs them,” he declared during a sit-in outside the city corporation headquarters.
In response, LGRD Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan criticised the protest, accusing BNP supporters of resorting to “muscle power” to obstruct governance.
“This blockade has no legal basis. Locking the main gate of a government institution is unacceptable,” he stated in an earlier briefing.
Attempts to reach the adviser on Tuesday were unsuccessful.
However, a senior official at the Chief Adviser’s Office, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. “What BNP supporters are doing is indeed regrettable.
But as of now, no formal decision has been taken regarding the swearing-in,” the official said.
With no resolution in sight and public suffering mounting, the DSCC deadlock underscores the challenges of governance during political transition-and the urgent need for institutional clarity.
