The decision about Gazipur Mayor Mohammad Jahangir Alam to continue as the mayor would be taken within a couple of days, said Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) Minister Tajul Islam.
On Monday, talking to reporters after joining the weekly cabinet virtually, he told reporters at the secretariat that they are examining law to decide whether Zahangir Alam can remain mayor of Gazipur City Corporation. Decision (in this regard) may come within a day or two.
On November 19, the ruling Awami League expelled its Gazipur unit general secretary and city mayor Zahangir Alam for his controversial comments about Bangabandhu and Liberation War martyrs. Zahangir has also lost his primary membership in the party.
The decision was made at a meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee at Ganabhaban chaired by the party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on last Friday evening.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed the authorities to take legal action against Alam.
If a lawsuit is filed against him after this decision, Zahangir may lose his mayor post.
On November 20, Zahangir said he will submit an application requesting the prime minister to review the decision.
On September 22, a four-minute video of Mayor Jahangir making some derogatory comments on Bangabandhu and the martyred freedom fighters during a conversation with an unidentified person went viral on social media.
On October 3, Awami League issued a show-cause notice on the city mayor for his recent viral video. He was asked to reply to the letter within 15 days.
The letter said Zahangir’s viral comments ruined the image and popularity of the political organization.
The mayor claimed that conspirators and anti-election groups have spread the ‘technologically manipulated video’ as propaganda against him.
Jahangir was elected as the mayor of Gazipur in 2018 on the ruling party’s ticket. He served as the general secretary of the party’s Gazipur metro unit.
