Dhaka: The government on Monday suspended BNP-supported Khulna City Corporation (KCC) elected Mayor Moniruzzaman Moni as he has been charged with criminal offences.

A source at the Local Government Division wishing anonymity told UNB that they issued a circular on Moni’s suspension on Monday as a court accepted his name in the chargesheet of criminal cases.

Moni has been suspended as per the Local Government (City Corporation) Act, the official said.

The law says any one of the panel mayors of the KCC could be made acting mayor.

Moni was elected KCC mayor defeating ruling Awami League-backed candidate Talukdar Abdul Khaleque in the city polls held in June, 2013.

On 11 June this year, a local court accepted chargesheets against 56 people, including Moni, in two criminal cases over arson and attacks on law enforcers.

Earlier, Sylhet City mayor Ariful Huq, Rajshahi City mayor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul and Gazipur City Mayor MA Mannan were also suspended on the same ground.