Protesters have continued their sit-in for the second consecutive day, demanding that BNP leader Ishraque Hossain be officially handed over the responsibilities of Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).

The demonstrators began their sit-in in front of the DSCC Nagar Bhaban (City Hall) at 9 am on Thursday (May 15).

Due to the protest, all vehicular movement has been suspended on both sides of the road from the Gulistan shrine area to Bangabazar, forcing commuters to walk to their destinations.

Earlier, on March 27, the First Joint District Judge and Electoral Tribunal of Dhaka declared Ishraque Hossain, a member of the BNP’s International Affairs Committee, as the Mayor of DSCC. Following the court verdict, the Election Commission (EC) published a gazette on April 27 officially recognizing Ishraque as the Mayor. However, no steps have yet been taken to arrange his swearing-in.

Protesters said they also held a sit-in from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm on Wednesday (May 14) with the same demand. On Thursday morning, under the banner "City Hall Siege by General Voters of Dhaka, Organized by: Citizens of Dhaka," people from various city wards marched separately and gathered in front of the Nagar Bhaban.

They alleged that in 2020, they had voted to elect Ishraque as Mayor, but the results were manipulated to defeat him. With the court now ruling in his favor, they said he has rightfully regained the mayoral post. However, the Ministry of Local Government has been stalling—neither handing over responsibilities nor arranging his oath-taking. The protesters said they joined the demonstration to protest this delay.

Ishraque Hossain is the son of the late BNP leader and former Mayor of the undivided Dhaka City Corporation, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, a popular figure among the residents of Old Dhaka.