Ishraque Hossain, special assistant to the BNP Chairperson's Foreign Affairs Committee, has accused Local Government Ministry Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain of “arrogant behavior”.
At a press conference held at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Ishraque responded to recent remarks made by Asif Mahmud in a television interview, where the adviser claimed that “the government had offered Ishraque the position of administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation, but he rejected it and continued his movement at the instigation of a BNP leader from Comilla.”
Refuting these claims, Ishraque said: “Such comments are a grave insult to thousands of voters in Dhaka. By suggesting that I was misguided, Asif has displayed utter arrogance. He positioned himself as superior to others and demeaned me in an unacceptable manner.”
He added: “Asif claimed that BNP used me because the party had become distanced from the government. This is a blatant lie and a disrespect to BNP- a historic, longstanding political party.”
Ishraque also said: “He (Asif Mahmud) is trying to portray himself as some kind of superhuman. Perhaps he forgets that the BNP was founded long before he was even born.”
Ishraque further said: “He also alleged that a certain BNP leader from his own constituency in Comilla instigated me, provided funding and logistics for the movement, and that he has proof.”
“He must present that evidence to the nation. Otherwise, he must issue a public apology for spreading such misleading information,” he added.
Ishraque warned of renewed protests if any vengeful action is taken against the city corporation staff involved in the movement.
“No one should even think of taking punitive steps against any official or employee who joined the protest, either on their own or under someone’s guidance. This is a clear warning,” said Ishraque.
He added: “If such action is taken, the people of Dhaka will not accept it. The movement will escalate beyond Nagar Bhaban and spill into the streets again—and that will not be in anyone’s interest.”
Clarifying his stance on assuming office, Ishraque said: “Let me make it very clear—I had no intention of running the city under the interim government as mayor.”
He added: “Based on advice from our top leadership, the decision was made solely to establish the tribunal's verdict against the illegal mayor Taposh as a permanent legal document and as evidence of a victory for the rule of law. The final step in this process is the oath-taking ceremony, which is purely a formality.”
He accused the interim government of lacking neutrality. “The numerous obstacles we faced in implementing the court's decision have finally confirmed our worst fear—that this interim government is not neutral,” he said.
“It has been exposed as a cover for undemocratic forces trying to maintain power without elections, deceiving the people through a web of domestic and international conspiracies,” he added.
“We will unite the people and lead the transition to democracy in post-fascist Bangladesh, In Shah Allah,” Ishraque said.
“That means establishing a people’s government through a fair and credible election at any cost. If any conspiracy is attempted against this goal, we are prepared to sacrifice our lives, if necessary, to reclaim the people’s right to vote,” he added.
Regarding Tuesday's clash at Nagar Bhaban, Ishraque blamed Asif Mahmud and alleged that the attack was carried out by corrupt officials known to be close to the adviser.
“Some of these individuals claim to be aligned with BNP but hold no position in the party. The main perpetrator, Golam Kibriya, who attempted to kill protesters yesterday, is widely known for his corruption,” he said.
Ishraque supporters continue sit-in at Nagar Bhaban
On Wednesday morning, Ishraque’s supporters again staged a sit-in on the ground floor of Nagar Bhaban from 10am to noon. Most of the participants were reportedly from various areas of Dhaka South City.
DSCC officials noted that the prior day’s violence had left staff in a state of fear, with many concerned about further unrest. When asked whether the sit-in would continue, Ishraque ended the press conference without answering.
In the Dhaka South City election, on February 1, 2020, BNP candidate Ishraque Hossain lost to Awami League’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh by a margin of nearly 200,000 votes.
On March 27, 2025, following a shift in power, the Dhaka Election Tribunal overturned the result and declared Ishraque, son of former undivided Dhaka mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, as the rightful mayor.
The Election Commission published a gazette confirming the verdict, but the government refused to administer his oath of office.
From May 14, under the banner of “Dhakabashi,” Ishraque’s supporters and BNP activists began a sit-in protest in front of Nagar Bhaban, which was later joined by the DSCC Employees’ Union.
Protesters locked the main gate and offices, halting all operations. The movement paused briefly during the Eid holidays but resumed once offices reopened.
Amid the protests, Ishraque announced he would oversee DSCC operations himself to restore essential services like birth registration.
However, he also said that development officials would not be allowed to work. He even held a staff meeting inside Nagar Bhaban under a banner that read “Honourable Mayor.”
On June 18, Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain declared that Ishraque was no longer eligible to be sworn in as his mayoral term had “expired”.