The order left the petitioner aggrieved. It sparked protests several hours later at Shahbagh, leaving thousands of citizens trapped in massive gridlocks on the connecting roads.
After the commission announced on December 22 last year that polls to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) would be held on January 30, the Hindu community voiced its opposition to the decision immediately as it was set to celebrate Saraswati Puja on January 29-30.
Matters became more complicated with the school holiday calendar sanctioned by the government marking January 29 for the Hindu religious festival.
Many Hindu religious groups, including the Puja Udjapon Parishad and Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC), had urged the Election Commission to move the election day to facilitate the community in celebrating the festival.