Mayor Annisul to be buried next to mother
Staff Reporter
Late Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Huq, who passed away in London on Thursday, will be buried next to his mothers grave at Banani graveyard in the capital. DNCC Public Relations Officer ASM Mamun said that Annisul will be buried next to his mother, mother-in-law and younger son Sharaful Haq at Banani graveyard on Saturday afternoon. The body of the mayor will be brought to the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:20 am today. There, his younger brother, Army chief Abu Belal Mohammad Shafiul Haq, other relatives and DNCC officials will receive his body. From there, he will be taken to his Banani residence, he added.
At 3pm, his dead body will be kept at the Army Stadium so that common people to pay tribute for him. The namaz-e-janaza of the mayor will be held there.
The first namaz-e-janaza of Annisul Huq was held in the Regent Park Mosque in London yesterday.
In his memory, a book of mourning has been opened in five areas in the city, including the DNCC Nagar Bhaban.
On July 29, Annisul went to London with his family. On August 14, he was supposed to return home. But he suddenly fell ill the night before.
At that time, doctors told that his brain was affected and he continued his long-term treatment.
On October 31, Annisul was transferred from the ICU to rehabilitation when his condition improved slightly. Later, on November 28, his physical condition gradually deteriorated. He died at Londons Wellington Hospital on November 30 at 4:23 pm.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at Annisuls demise.
Main opposition leader Rowshan Ershad, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia also expressed their condolences.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury and local government, rural development and cooperative minister Khandaker Mosharaf Hossain expressed sorrow at the death of r Annisul Huq. Bashundhara Group chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan expressed his deep condolence to the bereaved family.
BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed expressed hope that the next mayor of the Dhaka North City Corporation will be as efficient mayor Annisul Huq.
Fazle Rabbi Mia, deputy speaker of Parliament, also expressed deep sorrow. Chief whip ASM Feroz and DNCC mayor Sayeed Khokon expressed their condolences to the mourning family members.
Shortly after the news spread that Annisul Huq was no more, people from all walks of life started expressing grief, for they had lost a great personality, the guardian of the city.
It was an emotional outburst of people from all walks of life, including celebrities: The man could not be replaced.
Annisul Huqs son, Naveed Haque, said in the social media: I could hardly control my tears after reading the Facebook status dedicated to my father. My father left us... (Inna lillahi wa inna ilahi rajiun). I do not have much memory of my childhood with him due to his busy schedule as a businessman and civil society activist. He was a true patriot. But when I grew up, my relationship with him became intimate. He is my guide, my partner and the guiding light of my life.
Former FBCCI and BGMEA president, Annisul Huq, was not connected with any political party before he was elected mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation as a candidate of the Awami League in 2015. After becoming the mayor, he promised to build the capital as a clean, safe and smart city.
Annisul Huq, who was also a businessman and one-time television personality, established himself as a veteran businessman. He promised to change the situation of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), sitting in the mayors chair in 2015. Although he brought about a significant and positive change in the capital, his dream remains still unfulfilled.
Annisul Huq died at Wellington Hospital in London at 10.33pm on Thursday. He was put on ventilation (artificial respiratory system). Doctors declared him dead after taking him off the system at night. He was 65.
After wining the election as mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation, some of the several initiatives taken by him drew the attention of city dwellers.
At a meeting with editors of various newspapers at the beginning of last year, Annisul Huq said the initiatives he had taken for Dhaka city were reducing traffic congestion in Tejgaon, setting up 3,000 buses, setting up 72 secondary transfer stations in waste management, introducing eco-bus services, removing 20,000 billboards and setting up planned billboards, reducing water-logging, adding LED street lights, controlling rickshaws on main roads, setting up closed-circuit cameras in important areas and setting up public toilets.
Annisul Huq was born in his mothers ancestral village of Sonapur at Sonagazi, Feni, on October 27, 1952. His fathers house is in Kabirhat in Companyganj upazila of Noakhali. His father, Shariful Haque, was an officer of Ansar.
Annisul Huq completed his post-graduation in Economics from Chittagong University. In the 1980s, he was involved in the development of Bangladeshs readymade garments sector.
Annisul joined the Mohammadi Group in 1986 after a stint in television as an anchor in the 1980s and 90s. BTV programmes Anandamela and Antarale became popular with Annisul anchoring them. He also worked in the live programme on the state-run television, announcing the results of the 1991 general election.
Later, people saw him more as a business leader. After heading the BGMEA, he became the president of the apex trade body, the FBCCI, during the military-controlled caretaker government of 2007-08.
From an ordinary middleclass man, Annisul Huq turned himself into one of the leading businesspersons of the country. He took up the challenge to give Dhaka city a complete facelift, to make it green, clean and healthy by contesting the mayoral election. But his sudden death puts an end to his mission.
