PM Hasina visits Mayor Annisul Huq’s family in Banani

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has condoled with the family of Dhaka North Mayor Annisul Huq, who she had supported for the position two years ago.

Hasina visited Huq’s home in Banani after his body arrived from London on Saturday afternoon.

She arrived at the residence around 1:45pm and stayed for 15 minutes.

Huq, who had flown to the UK in late July, fell ill and passed away at a London hospital on Nov 30. He was 65.

A Biman Bangladesh flight carrying Huq’s body arrived in Dhaka around 1pm on Saturday. From there it was brought to his home in Banani.

A prayer service for the departed mayor will be held at the Army Stadium late Saturday afternoon.

He will then be buried at the Banani graveyard.

Huq was elected Dhaka North Mayor in 2015, with the backing of the Awami League.

“He gained a place in everyone’s heart through his work for the welfare of the people,” Hasina said in her condolence address.

“Our country and our people have lost a dedicated public servant.”

Huq gained public attention due to his firm stances on many issues, including several evictions over illegal occupation of land.

This included his challenges to embassies in the diplomatic areas of Baridhara and Gulshan, which had built illegal constructions.

He was also known for his road widening, Dhaka Chaka, billboard eviction and efforts to build Dhaka into a ‘green’ city.

Though many say Huq worked towards his dream of a ‘developed city’, some say his reforms were limited to the upscale areas of Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara.