PM admits dearth of public service

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the weekly cabinet meeting yesterday said people in the capital were suffering from a lack of city services and that city corporations cannot be run by administrators for long.

To end the sufferings of city dwellers, she later asked LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam to take steps for holding the long-due Dhaka city mayor elections, sources said.

In November 29, 2011, the Hasina administration split the DCC into two -- Dhaka south with 36 wards and Dhaka north with 56 -- and appointed two government officials as the administrators for six months. 

After yesterday's meeting, Hasina, also the ruling Awami League chief, held an unscheduled discussion with her cabinet colleagues and gave directives to Syed Ashraf on the polls.

According to sources, the PM said her party would back Annisul Huq, former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), as the mayoral candidate for Dhaka North City Corporation. And the candidate for Dhaka South City Corporation would be selected soon.

Earlier, at a cabinet meeting on December 8 last year, the PM announced that the elections would take place in early 2015. At that meeting, she rejected a proposal from the local government and rural development (LGRD) ministry for extending the tenure of the administrators to one year from six months.

The ministry placed the proposal saying the move will improve the city services. Interestingly, the government cited the same reason when it divided the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) ignoring criticism.

The last time Dhaka saw a mayoral election was in 2002 with BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka winning the mayoral post of an undivided DCC. Though Khoka's tenure ended in May 2007, he continued in office until the corporation was split.

Announcing the name of Annisul Haque yesterday, the PM said Mahmudur Rahman Manna, under the banner of civil society, might take part in Dhaka north mayoral race. Against Manna, Annisul Huq is the best choice.

According to insiders, the AL was looking for nonpartisan personalities with good images and over the last few months, party leaders maintained contacts with Annisul Huq.

Sources said the PM rejected some ministers' demand for Chittagong City Corporation polls prior to Dhaka's.

A few of her cabinet members also proposed the names of late mayor Mohammad Hanif's son Sayeed Khokon as the candidate for Dhaka south polls and AL leader Rahmatullah for Dhaka north, sources said.

Asked about the PM's announcement, Annisul said he learned about it from the media. "Please wait and see," he told The Daily Star.