BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said people have achieved a victory through the High Court (HC)'s verdict that cleared the way for Ishraque Hossain to take oath as the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), reports UNB.
"The High Court has delivered the kind of verdict that demonstrates respect for the law. This is undoubtedly a victory for people and democracy," he told the news agency over the phone from Thailand.
The BNP leader alleged that the Awami League rigged the DSCC mayoral election and snatched the results by force. "At that time, the residents of Dhaka, along with the entire nation, had declared Ishraque Hossain as their mayor."
He called upon the Local Government Ministry to take immediate steps to arrange Ishraque's swearing-in ceremony.
"I hope the ministry will act without creating further complications and promptly take steps for Ishraque Hossain's oath-taking to help ease the situation," Fakhrul said.
Earlier in the day, the HC dismissed a writ petition that sought a directive against administering the oath of office to BNP leader Ishraque Hossain as the mayor of DSCC, clearing the way for his swearing-in.
Fakhrul called upon BNP leaders, activists and supporters to step off the streets now following the court verdict.
Since the matter has now been resolved in court and the people have won, he said there is no longer any need to continue blocking roads.
"We hope the government will act sensibly and ensure Ishraque's swearing-in. Our supporters should now clear the roads for the sake of public relief," Fakhrul said.
No Alternative to Election Roadmap
Fakhrul urged the government to come up with a specific election roadmap promptly to overcome the political crisis.
"We reiterate that the only way to resolve the current political crisis is to announce a clear roadmap for the national election very soon. There is no use discussing anything else," he said.
