DE News Desk :
National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Sarjis Alam has been served a legal notice by Supreme Court lawyer Jashim Uddin, accusing him of contempt of court over a Facebook post made following a recent High Court verdict involving BNP leader Ishraque Hossain.
The notice, issued on Saturday, demands an unconditional public apology from Sarjis within two hours of receiving the document. The lawyer claims Sarjis’s online remark undermined the judiciary’s integrity.
The controversy arose after the High Court on Thursday dismissed a writ petition seeking to prevent Ishraque Hossain from taking oath as mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).
Reacting to the verdict, Sarjis posted on Facebook: “If a verdict can be obtained from the High Court by forming a mob, then what is the need for such a High Court?”
Advocate Jashim Uddin called the post a “direct affront to the judiciary”, saying it casts doubt on the court’s impartiality and authority.
The legal dispute is rooted in the fallout from the 2020 DSCC elections, in which Awami League’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh defeated Ishraque Hossain by a significant margin.
However, following a shift in government earlier this year, the electoral tribunal on March 27 annulled the result and declared Ishraque the legitimate mayor.
The Election Commission subsequently issued a gazette notification on April 27 confirming Ishraque’s mayorship. Yet, a writ petition filed on May 14 by lawyer and DSCC resident Md Mamunur Rashid sought to halt his oath-taking.
The move triggered demonstrations by Ishraque’s supporters, effectively paralysing operations at Nagar Bhaban.
While the High Court later dismissed the petition, the swearing-in ceremony has yet to take place, with the local government ministry citing “legal complications”.
In response, Ishraque paused ongoing protests, giving authorities a 48-hour ultimatum to arrange the oath. In a Facebook post on Friday, he declared himself ready to begin mayoral duties, calling the oath “a mere formality” and pledging to initiate waste management operations ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
He also vowed to assist Dhaka North in the absence of a sitting mayor and announced plans to form zonal monitoring teams for Dhaka South in coordination with former councillors and election candidates.
The situation continues to evolve amid mounting public pressure, political tensions, and questions over the transition of mayoral power.