A Dhaka court yesterday declared BNP leader Ishraque Hossain mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).

Judge Md Nurul Islam of the Election Tribunal of Dhaka pronounced the judgment, cancelling the result of the DSCC polls held in February 2020, a court staffer told The Daily Star.

The tribunal also cancelled the gazette notification that declared Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh the winner of the 2020 election, he said.

Ishraque, son of former mayor of Dhaka City Corporation Sadeque Hossain Khoka, was present in the courtroom during the verdict.

Shortly after the judgement, BNP leaders and activists, accompanied by pro-party lawyers, held a procession on the court premises to celebrate the victory.

"I express my gratitude to Almighty Allah. I have received justice. Whether I can become the mayor or take the oath as mayor is entirely a party decision," Ishraque told the journalists on the court premises yesterday.

Taherul Islam Tawhid, a lawyer for Ishraque, spoke to this newspaper yesterday about why it took over five years to dispose of the lawsuit.

"Following the lawsuit, Taposh submitted various applications through their lawyers to contest it. And it delayed the trial," he said.

"After the fall of Awami League government, the court proceedings sped up as the defendants remained absent and couldn't obstruct the process," he also said.

"In accordance with the court's verdict, the EC Secretariat will take necessary steps for a gazette amendment notification, declaring Ishraque as mayor," added Tawhid.

During the trial, five witnesses, including Ishraque, gave their statements before the court.

On August 19 last year, the government removed the mayors of 12 city corporations, including Taposh, from their positions.

On February 1 of 2020, the DSCC polls were held where Ishraque contested for the post of mayor from BNP.

But he was defeated, and the Election Commission declared Taposh as mayor of the DSCC.

On March 3 of 2020, Ishraque, a member of BNP Chairperson's Foreign Affairs Advisory Committee, filed a lawsuit with the election tribunal, demanding cancellation of the election.

The chief election commissioner, commission's secretary, winner candidate Taposh and five others have been made defendants to contest the suit.

In the suit, Ishraque claimed that the February 1 election was held amid irregularities and corruption, adding that on the day, a satisfactory number of voters did not turn up to cast their votes.

Ishraque also alleged that the election commissioner, in collusion with others, declared Taposh the mayor of DSCC.

He also appealed to the tribunal to declare the election process for the post of mayor in the DSCC polls 2020 void and order a fresh election.

On October 1 last year, the Election Tribunal of Chattogram declared BNP leader Shahadat Hossain the mayor of Chattogram City Corporation.

The tribunal gave the verdict following a case filed to cancel the results of the CCC election held on January 27, 2021. Shahadat filed the lawsuit on February 24, 2021.

On October 8 last year, the Election Commission (EC) issued a notification declaring Shahadat as the mayor of Chattogram City Corporation.

TABITH'S LAWSUIT

On March 2 of 2020, Tabith Awal, BNP-nominated candidate for the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayoral election, filed a similar lawsuit with the same election tribunal, demanding cancellation of the February 1 election.

The tribunal is scheduled on April 7 this year to deliver a verdict in the lawsuit.