Engineer Ishraq Hossain, the BNP’s mayoral candidate in the upcoming Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) polls, in an exclusive interview with The New Nation said that they would not step back, rather they are determined to stay in polls race till the last moment. Now is the time to establish people’s voting rights.
Ishraq said this while speaking to the daily’s Staff Reporter Abdul Alim on Monday night at his Gopibagh residence in the capital.
New Nation: What encouraged you to engage in politics?
Ishraq: I was born in a political family. So, the reason for coming into politics is nothing new for me. I grew up watching and realizing politics. Until my last breath, politics will be a part of my life. Beyond that, I can say that I learned political ideals from my late father Sadek Hossain Khoka. He did people’s politics. “I want to make Dhaka a livable and pollution free city and its waste management will be the key priority, if I’m elected.”
New Nation: How do you feel at being nominated from BNP as one of the youngest mayoral
candidates? Ishraq: It does not matter if you are young or old, what matters is doing the right thing at the right moment for the development of Dhaka city. Since I’m a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP), I consider myself an integral part of that political party. “As I’ll do politics, the senior leaders in my party and the high commands have given me courage. Especially, after the death of my father, they have played the role of my guardians. They want to give me a chance because I want to do politics. To prove my political wisdom and gain my political experience, the party asked me to prepare a few months ago to participate in the Dhaka City corporation elections. The party is also trying to create a new leadership. I think the BNP has nominated me as part of that.”
New Nation: What will be your main challenges and priorities if you are elected? How do you think that you will be able to work properly since you represent opposition BNP?
Ishraq: You know that Dhaka is one of the least livable cities in the world. If I’m elected, the first thing that I would start is to turn Dhaka into a livable city. I have priorities which include — a pollution free environment; safe and open footpaths and public spaces; freeing Dhaka from water logging; and proper road management for controlling traffic congestion. Also fighting against corruption in the City Corporation office will be my first challenge. Ensuring strong coordination among all the stakeholders for Dhaka’s development is another obstacle that I have to overcome.
“If I’m elected as a candidate of the opposition, it would help me to do better work. The previous mayors lacked city dwellers mandate,” added Ishraq.
New Nation: Do you have any plans for the city’s sewerage system and combating dengue menace?
Ishraq: Garbage is one of the main causes of water logging and mosquitoes need water to reproduce. “I plan to kill mosquitoes during the larvae stage and this will stop them from spreading. I will continue mosquito drives so that everything remains under control. I want to make coordinated plans with Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) for developing the current sewerage system of the city that will ultimately help address the issue.
New Nation: How you will overcome election violence, if occurred?
Ishraq: No matter how many obstacles and adversities I have to face in the upcoming days, I won’t step aside from the DSCC mayoral elections race to be held on January 30.
“We are determined to stay in polls race till last moment. Now is the time to exercise people’s voting right.”
New Nation: What kind of politics do you want?
Ishraq: I want an inclusive politics, where people will exercise their franchise freely.
New Nation: Do you have anything to say to the voters and your party activists?
Ishraq: I would earnestly request the party leaders and activists to come to the street to establish the people’s right of franchise.
Ishraq Hossain, younger son of undivided Dhaka City Corporations Mayor and BNP Vice-Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka. He is an engineer. He studied at Scholastica School in Dhaka. A and O level completed at 2003 and 2005. Then he moved to the UK for study. He completed undergraduate and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hertfordshire. Then he returned to the country.
Ishraq said this while speaking to the daily’s Staff Reporter Abdul Alim on Monday night at his Gopibagh residence in the capital.
New Nation: What encouraged you to engage in politics?
Ishraq: I was born in a political family. So, the reason for coming into politics is nothing new for me. I grew up watching and realizing politics. Until my last breath, politics will be a part of my life. Beyond that, I can say that I learned political ideals from my late father Sadek Hossain Khoka. He did people’s politics. “I want to make Dhaka a livable and pollution free city and its waste management will be the key priority, if I’m elected.”
New Nation: How do you feel at being nominated from BNP as one of the youngest mayoral
candidates? Ishraq: It does not matter if you are young or old, what matters is doing the right thing at the right moment for the development of Dhaka city. Since I’m a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP), I consider myself an integral part of that political party. “As I’ll do politics, the senior leaders in my party and the high commands have given me courage. Especially, after the death of my father, they have played the role of my guardians. They want to give me a chance because I want to do politics. To prove my political wisdom and gain my political experience, the party asked me to prepare a few months ago to participate in the Dhaka City corporation elections. The party is also trying to create a new leadership. I think the BNP has nominated me as part of that.”
New Nation: What will be your main challenges and priorities if you are elected? How do you think that you will be able to work properly since you represent opposition BNP?
Ishraq: You know that Dhaka is one of the least livable cities in the world. If I’m elected, the first thing that I would start is to turn Dhaka into a livable city. I have priorities which include — a pollution free environment; safe and open footpaths and public spaces; freeing Dhaka from water logging; and proper road management for controlling traffic congestion. Also fighting against corruption in the City Corporation office will be my first challenge. Ensuring strong coordination among all the stakeholders for Dhaka’s development is another obstacle that I have to overcome.
“If I’m elected as a candidate of the opposition, it would help me to do better work. The previous mayors lacked city dwellers mandate,” added Ishraq.
New Nation: Do you have any plans for the city’s sewerage system and combating dengue menace?
Ishraq: Garbage is one of the main causes of water logging and mosquitoes need water to reproduce. “I plan to kill mosquitoes during the larvae stage and this will stop them from spreading. I will continue mosquito drives so that everything remains under control. I want to make coordinated plans with Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) for developing the current sewerage system of the city that will ultimately help address the issue.
New Nation: How you will overcome election violence, if occurred?
Ishraq: No matter how many obstacles and adversities I have to face in the upcoming days, I won’t step aside from the DSCC mayoral elections race to be held on January 30.
“We are determined to stay in polls race till last moment. Now is the time to exercise people’s voting right.”
New Nation: What kind of politics do you want?
Ishraq: I want an inclusive politics, where people will exercise their franchise freely.
New Nation: Do you have anything to say to the voters and your party activists?
Ishraq: I would earnestly request the party leaders and activists to come to the street to establish the people’s right of franchise.
Ishraq Hossain, younger son of undivided Dhaka City Corporations Mayor and BNP Vice-Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka. He is an engineer. He studied at Scholastica School in Dhaka. A and O level completed at 2003 and 2005. Then he moved to the UK for study. He completed undergraduate and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hertfordshire. Then he returned to the country.
