The government has appointed six leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) as administrators across six city corporations, including both of the capital’s Dhaka city corporations. The appointments were announced on Sunday, 22 February, through a notification issued by the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives.
According to the notification, the appointed administrators will serve until the formation of elected corporations or until further directives are issued. Several of the new appointees previously contested parliamentary elections and were defeated, while others did not even receive party nominations.
Appointed Administrators
| City Corporation | Appointed Administrator | Political Background | Recent Electoral History |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dhaka South | Md. Abdus Salam | Former Convenor, Dhaka South BNP; Advisor Council member of BNP Chairman | Chief election agent for BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman in last parliamentary elections |
| Dhaka North | Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan | BNP Leader | BNP candidate for Dhaka-15; lost to Jamaat-e-Islami leader Shafiqul Rahman |
| Khulna | Nazrul Islam Manju | BNP Central Organising Secretary | Former MP of Khulna-2; lost again in latest elections to Jamaat candidate |
| Sylhet | Abdul Qayum Chowdhury | District BNP President | Expected BNP nominee for Sylhet-3; served as election coordinator for six Sylhet constituencies instead |
| Narayanganj | Sakhawat Hossain Khan | Convener, Narayanganj Metropolitan BNP | Ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2016; did not receive party nomination for Narayanganj-5 in latest elections |
| Gazipur | Shawkat Hossain | President, Gazipur Metropolitan BNP | Aspirant for BNP nomination in Gazipur-2 constituency in last elections |
In Dhaka South, Md. Abdus Salam, a member of the BNP chairman’s advisory council and former convenor of Dhaka South BNP, has been appointed as administrator. He previously served as the chief election agent for BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman during the last parliamentary elections.
Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan, who contested the Dhaka-15 constituency and lost to Jamaat-e-Islami’s Shafiqul Rahman, will oversee Dhaka North City Corporation.
Khulna City Corporation will be administered by Nazrul Islam Manju, BNP’s central organising secretary and former Khulna-2 MP, who was defeated once again in the most recent parliamentary polls.
In Sylhet, district BNP president Abdul Qayum Chowdhury has been appointed administrator. Although he was hopeful of nomination for Sylhet-3, the party instead assigned him as coordinator for all six Sylhet constituencies.
Narayanganj’s administration will be led by Sakhawat Hossain Khan, convener of Narayanganj Metropolitan BNP. He previously contested the 2016 mayoral election under the BNP banner but was defeated and was not nominated for Narayanganj-5 in the recent parliamentary polls.
Shawkat Hossain, president of Gazipur Metropolitan BNP, has been appointed as Gazipur City Corporation administrator. He had sought BNP nomination for Gazipur-2 in the last parliamentary election but was not selected.
Following the formation of the interim government on 8 August 2024, the mayors of 12 city corporations were removed on 19 August and administrators were installed. With the conclusion of the 13th national parliamentary elections, discussions on upcoming local government elections are beginning to gain momentum.