Staff Correspondent
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday asked Local Government Minister Syed Ashraful Islam to take steps on holding the Dhaka city corporations polls soon.
"A city can never run in such condition as it prevails now. People are not getting services from the existing administrators appointed by the government. To ensure  services to the citizens, it's a must to have elected public representatives in the city corporations. You have to take steps immediately to ensure it," the PM asked Ashraf, also the general secretary of the ruling Awami League (AL).
The instruction came at the Cabinet's regular weekly meeting in the capital.
Sheikh Hasina, also the AL President, expressed her desire at the meeting that former FBCCI president Annisul Huq run for the mayoral post in Dhaka North City Corporation as her party candidate. 
Several Cabinet members, who attended the meeting, confirmed candidature of the noted business leader to the Daily Observer.
Quoting LGRD Minister Syed Ashraf, a state minister said seeking anonymity, "We have to make preparations to hold elections for both the city corporations - Dhaka North and Dhaka South."
While disclosing her intent to name Annisul Huq's candidature for the DNCC top post, the premier's attention about the Dhaka South City Corporation was also drawn. Sheikh Hasina said, "We are yet to decide on who will be the candidate for the DSCC mayoral post. It would also be finalised shortly after the election schedule is announced. But, I want the polls to be held soon."
In 2011, the government split Dhaka City Corporation into DCC North and DCC South. Since then, an administrator was appointed for each new corporation to run its activities until a mayor comes through elections.
According to the existing city corporation law, administrators' tenure is only six months.
Sadeque Hossain Khoka was the last elected mayor of united Dhaka City Corporation (DCC). He was elected mayor for a five-year term in 2002. But he had served around nine years.
Khoka served additional four years as mayor after completing his five-year tenure in May 2007, as no election was not held after 2002.
Polls could not be held in 2012 due to an incomplete voter list and a case filed raising dispute on demarcation of the electoral areas.
The government recently resolved the demarcation problem and issued gazette notification. The gazette has already been sent to the Election Commission. The EC also sought additional budgetary allocation from the government to hold the city corporation polls.
During the Cabinet meeting, a minister also said, the ongoing blockade and strike programmes that were enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance, public sufferings, transport problems and burning of people came up for discussion.
State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal briefed the Prime Minister about the current situation stemming from the opposition's agitation programmes and government measures.
"Kamal claimed that the law enforcers have taken satisfactory steps to calm down the situation. As a result, the situation is almost normal at present. We hope the situation would be improved soon as people rejected the blockade and strikes," the minister said.