Gano Adhikar Parishad launched an all-day protest outside Dhaka North City Corporation headquarters, demanding immediate resignation and arrest of Administrator Mohammad Ejaz over alleged ties to banned extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.
The organisation issued a 48-hour ultimatum on Wednesday, claiming Ejaz's extremist background makes him unfit for public office.
The protest escalated tensions between DNCC management and opposition groups, with both sides trading accusations of corruption and misconduct. Gano Adhikar Parishad cited investigative journalist Zulkarnain Saer's recent Facebook post highlighting Ejaz's previous arrest in 2015 on terrorism charges as evidence of his unsuitability for the administrator role.
DNCC struck back with counter-allegations against Gano Adhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur, claiming he orchestrated the unrest after failing to secure contracts for preferred contractors. According to Public Relations Officer Farzana Boby's press release, Nur contacted DNCC's Additional Chief Engineer on 18 May, pressuring officials to award work to specific contractors despite procurement law violations.
"Nur phoned the Additional Chief Engineer, pressuring him to award work to a specific contractor," stated the DNCC release. "Despite being informed that this would violate procurement laws, Nur allegedly persisted and even threatened to lock down the DNCC office." The corporation claimed Nur arrived at the Gulshan-2 office with supporters on Tuesday afternoon, creating chaos and disrupting official activities through anti-administrator slogans.
Gano Adhikar Parishad dismissed these accusations as "entirely baseless" and politically motivated deflection tactics. The organisation counter-claimed that despite winning tenders as highest bidders, their members faced contract denials without paying commissions. They alleged Ejaz maintains a personal network system, citing the Gabtoli cattle market case as evidence of systematic corruption.
The civil rights group revealed attempted bribery efforts to cancel their demonstration, claiming Ejaz sent intermediaries including relatives and made repeated phone calls to leaders. "These efforts were reportedly rejected, and the protest continued as planned," stated the Parishad's response.
Both organisations presented contrasting narratives about Tuesday's confrontation at DNCC offices. Whilst DNCC portrayed the incident as orchestrated disruption following contract disputes, Gano Adhikar Parishad maintained their action stemmed from legitimate concerns about extremist leadership in public administration.
The controversy highlights broader questions about vetting procedures for senior administrative appointments and corruption allegations within municipal corporations. Civil society groups backing the protest argue that individuals with terrorism-related arrests should face automatic disqualification from public office, regardless of subsequent legal proceedings.
Ejaz's 2015 arrest on terrorism charges remains central to opposition demands, with protesters claiming his Hizb ut-Tahrir connections pose security risks to municipal governance. The administrator has not publicly responded to these allegations, leaving DNCC's institutional response through official channels.
The 48-hour ultimatum sets Thursday evening as the deadline for government action on Ejaz's position. Failure to meet protesters' demands could trigger escalated demonstrations, potentially disrupting DNCC operations and municipal services across northern Dhaka areas.
