Published: 12:07 AM, 09 October 2018
Huq's development projects in limbo
The development projects taken up by Dhaka North Mayor Annisul Huq have come to a standstill after his demise. Huq took some bold steps to renovate Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) areas. Some of his initiatives are still on at a slow speed.
Urban experts opined that city dwellers will be deprived if the projects are not implemented. They believe lack of strong leadership like Huq is to blame. However, the authorities said they were implementing the projects gradually.
To bring order in Dhaka transport system, Huq took up a step to rationalize bus routes and operating the public buses by companies. He planned to bring some 4,000 new buses under six companies.
The project faced a standstill after the mayor's death. However, the project has been taken up followed by the countrywide student movement through forming a committee led by the Dhaka South Mayor Sayeed Khokon.
However, Khokon said it will take minimum two years to witness visible changes. Huq evicted the illegal Tejgaon truck stand. Soon after his death, the place went under illegal occupation again.
Major projects which Huq could not complete are - constructing U-turns, reclaiming 52 acres land at Gabtoli, generating power from dumped waste, building parks and playgrounds, setting up modern public toilets, bringing the whole city under LED lights and security camera coverage and steady approach towards 'clean Dhaka green Dhaka'.
He planned 11 U-turns from Satrasta to Uttara in 2015. However, construction of nine U-turns is in uncertainty due to land scarcity. Apart from, installing LED lights with Tk 442-crore project is yet to begin. The fate of Green Dhaka project inaugurated in 2016 is uncertain.
"Mayor involved non-governmental organizations in the green Dhaka project. As DNCC does not have its own allocation, there is no update of it," Tariq Bin Yusuf, superintendent engineer of DNCC said. Mayor used to hold regular meeting with the 26 utility service providers.
No coordination meeting was held after the mayor's death. Urban planner Mobasser Hosen believes current DNCC officials could pass on the dream projects if they had enough courage and eagerness. "We need a courageous leader like him. Otherwise, the city dwellers would be deprived of a clean and green Dhaka," he commented.
