With the death of Annisul Haq, the mayor of Dhaka North City Corporations, Bangladesh has lost an able, charismatic, dedicated city father who knew how to engage oneself for the service of his city. During his short tenure as the mayor of DNCC, he could generate hope among the Dhaka city dwellers that finally they were going to have a better Dhaka. In that direction he took up many steps and he became successful in some of these, because he pursued his goal arduously and tenaciously.

Few could think that the truck-stand could be removed from Tejgaon, because not only was the truck owners association strong there were powerful people in the government who backed these truck owners.

When people actually saw emergence of a beautiful spacious road with a divider in that place, they began to believe that this mayor was indeed an exception. Soon, clearance of the Gabtoli bus stand by him strengthened this belief.

He also started to improve the streets and sewage system of his share of Dhaka city and leaving these works in the middle, he has left the world for ever in an early age. The city dwellers are now uncertain whether these incomplete works would be well finished or whether the person replacing him would be able to carry on to materialize his dream to change Dhaka into a modern city.

Before he became the DNCC mayor, Annisul Haq served the media as a TV presenter. He was a very noted businessman of the country also and bore responsibility as the head of FBCCI. But he was not a politician, until he was selected by Awami League as a mayoral candidate. By virtue of his amicable personality, his sincerity, his commitment to serve the people in the capacity of mayor, he quickly won the heart of people, even that of his political opponents.

That is why when the news of his recovery from cerebral vasculitis in a London hospital and his rehabilitation reached Dhaka, it was greeted with joy. People here believed that after a couple of months or so, they would see Annisul Haq in his place and were actually not prepared to hear the news of deterioration of his heath even further. Now with the news of his demise, Dhaka city dwellers lost a very promising mayor in him.

As a person, Annisul Haq did not belong to the average, he is quite above that in his life as a media personality, businessman and, in the last instance, as a mayor. May his departed soul rest in peace!