DNCC mayor wants to proceed cautiously

ZEENAT KHAN (ZK): It has been over a month that you took office as Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor. On June 11, I read an opinion piece in one of the Bangladesh newspapers. The author maintained that your promise for ‘a better Dhaka’ is a far cry from your pre-election assurances. Furthermore, it seems the citizens are asking whether you will be able to deliver on your campaign promises. Are you overwhelmed by all the demands?
ANNISUL HAQUE (AH): It’s been only two months since I have assumed office. Dhaka cannot be treated cosmetically. I am investing more than 16 hours a day just to address the problems. An overnight change is not possible and hence one would need to give me time to resolve the issues. But I do believe that initial changes will be visible in about six months to a year.
ZK: Some of the pundits suspect that it is not likely that you are going to ‘swing into action’ any time soon. Why do you think people are judging you harshly so early on? What would you say to clarify common misconceptions about you and your term so far, so pundits might ease off on their predictions?  
AH: I think question number one and question number two are of the same nature.
ZK: In your view, why do you think Dhaka residents have become so impatient? To me, it appears that people have made you out to have magical powers (like the genie in Aladdin!) to somehow make all of Dhaka’s problems disappear within a few weeks. However, all that needs to be fixed in Dhaka will take time as the present problems are the result of years of neglect.
AH: The reason behind people’s impatience lies in being neglected for over the years and for not having seen any substantial changes for a long time. Frankly, I am not sensing people being so “impatient” at this point of time. For the last two weeks I have been interacting on streets and I really haven’t seen people getting as upset as you report.
ZK: If you can deliver on your campaign promises, then you will get the credit, and if not, you will have to take the blame. How would you make sure that things will get done in a timely fashion? Are you working closely with the PM’s office to make sure that you have all the resources at your disposal to do your job effectively?
AH: I am coordinating with every office possible on the changes that need to happen. I have a mandate for five years and I will cautiously work towards progress.
ZK: During the election campaign, there was a lot of talk about you getting the nomination as an Awami League-backed candidate, and therefore, a lot of people thought that it was a given that you would win. Then, the BNP candidates dropped out from the race. How did that make you feel?
AH: Dropping off the race is the prerogative of the candidate. But it would have been definitely nicer if all had participated.
ZK: Is the City Corporation in favour of having civic leaders involved in the decision-making process? Or will it be more of a one-man show?
AH: I have a number of urban planners supporting me with my vision of a Green Dhaka, a project that I want to implement within the next one year. So, in reality there are more than six experts who are regularly advising me on what is to be done in Dhaka.
ZK: Recently, Dhaka experienced a massive heat wave. To protect the citizens, what kind of measures did your office take so that the elderly and the weak would not perish the way they did in India? Are there any cooling centres in Dhaka to escape from the sudden increase in temperature?
AH: The heat wave happened unexpectedly. City Corporation will need to form a disaster prevention team in order to handle this kind of unexpected incidents.
ZK: How does it make you feel when you hear or read that Dhaka is one of the most un-livable cities in the world? Does it make you sad or outraged, or instead, motivated to do something about this perception once and for all?
AH: I wouldn’t have run for the office of the Mayor if I didn’t believe in changing the scenario. It’s not about addressing perceptions; it’s about correcting the reality. From my end, I will do my best to change what I can…for the better.
ZK: Dhaka’s sanitation issues are among its biggest problems, and weigh on everyone’s mind. Overfilled dustbins and the nauseating smell of rotten trash impact quality of life, not to mention cause respiratory illnesses. Garbage is also a ghastly sight. How is your Clean Dhaka campaign progressing? Is cleaning the city a top priority for your office?
AH:  Clean Dhaka is one of my topmost priorities. We have already started to clean the city. We are also locating empty spaces within each ward to dump the trash. Besides, we are also planning to turn waste into wealth within a reasonable period of time.
ZK: Recently, you joined the Dhaka South Mayor in a joint effort to clean the city streets, and pictures were printed of you with broom in your hands, sweeping the street with a group of women. How was that experience for you?
AH: (Where did you see the picture? This did not happen. I ran a clean campaign with celebrities before election.)
ZK: Was the idea to sweep Dhaka’s streets influenced by Indian PM Narendra Modi’s launch of a country-wide Clean India campaign? It was encouraging to many people to see “big name” Bollywood celebrities, like Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan and the tennis star Sania Mirza, picking up brooms to clean the streets. Do you also want to enlist important people to raise awareness of the issue in Dhaka?
AH: (N/A as this did not happen. But yes, celebrities and important people could join the clean campaign to raise the general awareness.)
ZK: A few months ago, I read that after a huge rainstorm, all the major city drains were clogged, and that unsanitary water was flooding the city streets. I most remember the vivid anecdote of a British citizen, wearing his Wellington boots, coming out to clean with broom in hand. What do you think can be done to raise consciousness so that each Bangladeshi citizen does her/his part to care for the city instead of complaining without action?
AH: Waterlogging happens because of drains not being cleaned on time and for lack of outlets. The job rests mostly with WASA and City Corporation can clean the drains way ahead of rainy season. WASA and City Corporation should do their bit before expecting citizens to be pro-active.
ZK: Can you briefly describe a day in the office as the Dhaka North City Mayor? How is your own staff handling their individual responsibilities in assisting you?
AH: I enter the DNCC by 9:15 sharp every morning. My first month was spent on grasping the rules and practices of the office. Now I am more into field visits. The staff is handling their responsibilities well and is supporting the decisions that I make.
ZK: As you know, this is summertime here in the United States. A lot of people will be travelling to Bangladesh. To my dismay, I have heard many regret their decision to go because of Dhaka’s legendary traffic jams. I know this is a longstanding, proverbial problem and it cannot be solved overnight. What are some of the long term plans that you are thinking will work? Is your office going to work closely with urban planners in coming up with reasonable solutions?
AH: There is a Strategic Transport Protocol that is already under way. Metrorail is also starting. So the pressure on traffic will be less in a few years. There are also other solutions that can be worked out with urban planners.
ZK: With hundreds of high-rise buildings still going up, Dhaka’s skyline is dominated by tall buildings. The trees that once had made Dhaka beautiful are mostly gone. Are there plans to plant man-made trees, like they do in Singapore? Will new recreational facilities be built for Dhaka’s young children?
AH: My manifesto clearly commits new facilities for young children. Green Dhaka is my project that will possibly be done within the next six months. Many parks have been grabbed; many spaces have been violated. We will try and regain access to those ASAP.
ZK: How do you see the future of the most infamous sidewalks, permanently occupied by beggars and the homeless? What are some sustainable social solutions for these people in need that you see yourself leading?
AH: We have attempted to clear the footpaths already. In the last two weeks, we have conducted drives that have cleared the hawkers. As for beggars and the homeless, rehabilitation will remain a complicated issue that will need the involvement of all agencies of the government.
ZK: With so many challenges that Dhaka faces, there are some serious tasks ahead of you to fulfil pre-election promises. Where do you draw strength from in your moments of frustration? Do you ever say to yourself, ‘Why did I sign up for this monumental task of making Dhaka beautiful?’
AH: My journey has just begun. Therefore the idea of giving up on the challenge does not arise.
ZK: Do you have a message for the Bangladeshi expatriate community? In a few months’ time, do you think they will be happy to be back in Dhaka either for an extended visit or to relocate?  Or, is the city way too overpopulated to take in new residents?
AH: A beautiful Dhaka won’t be possible in the next few months. It’s a project of at least three years. Dhaka is definitely too dense to accommodate more people. But NRBs must return to invest in the city and to reap benefits from it.
ZK: What is your ultimate vision for Dhaka City North, as its elected Mayor?
AH: I look forward to being a part of a clean, green, humane and a much more efficient Dhaka.

Zeenat Khan sent a questionnaire to Anisul Haque who gave written answers. Zeenat may be contacted at zeenat.khan1983@gmail.com