Official order declares Dhaka North mayoral post vacant

The government has issued an order declaring the post of Dhaka North City mayor vacant.

The local government ministry released a notice on Monday where it said the post will be considered vacant from Dec 1.

The Election Commission or EC will now have to hold by-polls to elect a new mayor in 90 days, which is Feb 28.

Annisul Huq, who was elected the first mayor of Dhaka North in 2015, died on Thursday at a London hospital, where he was being treated for almost four months.

The 65-year-old had served a little more than half of his five-year term before he passed away after being diagnosed with cerebral vasculitis— inflammation of the blood vessel wall involving the brain.

Before the order was issued on Monday, Local Government Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told the media that he had cleared the file on Sunday.

“With his death, we have lost a capable person. He was a very lively person and his death was totally unexpected,” he said.

EC officials said on Sunday that they would start the process to hold the by-polls after the post is officially declared vacant.

“The mayor, elected through the by-election, will serve for the remaining term,” EC Assistant Secretary Rajib Ahsan told bdnews24.com.

According to the law, the terms of elected representatives of city corporations expire five years after the local government body’s first official meeting.