A day after Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir assumed the role of minister for local government, he announced the government’s plans to expedite local government elections. In a recent development, new administrators were appointed to six city corporations nationwide. Notably, all administrators are affiliated with the BNP, some of whom were unsuccessful in the recent national parliamentary elections.
Among the appointments, Abdus Salam will oversee Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), while Shafiqul Islam Khan will manage Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC). Additionally, Nazrul Islam Monju, Abdul Quiyum Choudhury, Sakhawat Hossain Khan, and Shawkat Hossain Sarkar have been assigned to administer Khulna City Corporation (KCC), Sylhet City Corporation (SCC), Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC), and Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) respectively.
The appointed administrators are set to serve until elected councils are established or further directives are issued. Criticism arose from Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), denouncing the move as a blatant display of targeted partisan control over local government entities.
Abdus Salam, the new DSCC administrator, brings experience from his previous role as the deputy mayor of the undivided Dhaka City Corporation. Shafiqul Islam Khan, the DNCC administrator, previously contested the election in Dhaka-15 and holds a past position as the vice-president of the central Jubo Dal committee.
Nazrul Islam Monju, the KCC administrator, is a prominent figure within the BNP hierarchy, having served as a former MP and holding key roles within the party. Shawkat Hossain Sarkar, the GCC administrator, has a history of local leadership as the president of Gazipur Metropolitan BNP.
Sakhawat Hossain Khan, the NCC administrator, is a respected lawyer known for his involvement in high-profile cases and his role within the Narayanganj Metropolitan BNP. Abdul Quiyum Choudhury, the SCC administrator, is the president of Sylhet District BNP and has extensive experience coordinating BNP activities in the Sylhet district.
State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain declared his candidacy for the DSCC mayoral post following the administrator appointments, having previously contested and lost in the 2020 elections. Additionally, the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) announced its mayoral candidates for the two Dhaka city corporations, nominating Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan for DSCC and Ariful Islam Adib for DNCC.