On 30th May, it has been six months since the decease of iconic Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Annisul Huq. Within less than half of his five-year tenure as a mayor he did many remarkable jobs to make Dhaka city greener, cleaner and free from pollution and traffic congestion. But due to his sudden death, he could not reach the estimated line he drew to make a better Dhaka city. His unfinished dreams became uncertain at this talented person’s untimely death. Will we be able to accomplish the dreams of this heroic person and actually make a better and livable Dhaka?
Annisul Huq is called an iconic mayor because he solved many difficult problems that were almost impossible to solve. Even thinking of changing some of these was a challenge itself. Huq proved himself courageous by removing 20,000 unauthorized billboards, clearing illegal truck stand of Satrasta intersection in Tejgaon, preventing illegal car parking surrounding the bus stops in Gabtoli, Mohammadpur, Mohakhali and Kalyanpur areas, constructing pavements with tactile track for visually impaired persons, planting trees on the median strip as part of beautification, planting LED streetlight and CCTV camera for the safety of the dwellers, building modern public toilets beside the road and many uncountable progresses for the betterment of Dhaka city.
Unfortunately, there are many unaccomplished goals of his as well as including introducing 5000 new buses to improve the city’s public transport system, constructing several U-loops from Mohakhali to Gazipur’s Joydevpur so that traffic could move smoothly, setting up a combined duct system and some others. This genius digital minded person also planned something really big, matching the context of digital Bangladesh. He wanted to make a mobile app through which he could reach each and every city dweller of Dhaka and listen to their problems.
There are some incomplete projects of his the actual implication of which are still doubtful. Without proper and strict leadership some of his efforts seem to be futile as the illegal truck and bus stands came back to their previous places. Although concerned administrators are trying to handle these matters but it seems to be hopeless. The installation of street LED light and CC camera has also stalled. The “Green Dhaka” project was being financed by the mayor’s personal fund but there is no one to continue this project after him.
Huq is a role model for today’s youth as a successful entrepreneur – innovative minded, hardworking, honest and dedicated leader, such as they have seen after decades. This is a proposal for our community and our legislation that together we all give our best effort to implement the master plans of the capable leader Annisul Huq to make Dhaka cleaner, greener and pollution free.
Salma Akter, Department of Business Administration, East West University
