Political administrators appointed to six city corporations across the country, including Dhaka North and Dhaka South, formally assumed office on Tuesday, February 24.
They submitted their letters of appointment to Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at the Secretariat.
The six newly appointed administrators are Md Abdus Salam for Dhaka South City Corporation, Md Shafiqul Islam Khan for Dhaka North City Corporation, Nazrul Islam Monju for Khulna City Corporation, Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury for Sylhet City Corporation, Md Sakhawat Hossain Khan for Narayanganj City Corporation, and Md Shawkat Hossain Sarkar for Gazipur City Corporation.
The appointments, formalised through a notification issued by the Local Government Division on February 22, mark a departure from the previous practice of placing bureaucrats in charge. All six administrators are affiliated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
According to Section 25(k)(1) of the Local Government (City Corporation) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024, the administrators have been appointed as full-time officials until new city corporations are established. They will exercise the powers and responsibilities of mayors in their respective cities.
Following the submission of their appointment letters, the administrators met with the Prime Minister to present their plans for addressing citizen concerns. They pledged to enhance public service delivery and tackle urban issues such as infrastructure, traffic management, and municipal services efficiently.
The appointment of political figures in place of bureaucrats signals a strategic shift aimed at increasing accountability, public engagement, and effective governance at the city corporation level.