Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) was the former self-governing corporation that was entrusted with the task of administering the municipal affairs of Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital. The incorporated area was divided into several wards. Each ward has an elected ward commissioner. The mayor of the city was elected by popular vote every five years, although the last mayoral election took place in 2002. The corporation was dissolved by the Local Government (City Corporation) Amendment Bill 2011 on 29 November, passed in the Parliament of Bangladesh, and formally ceased to exist on 1 December 2011, following the President's approval, making way for a Dhaka North and a Dhaka South city corporations.
History
Dacca Municipality, the predecessor of the city corporation, was established on 1 August 1864. The first elected chairman was Ananda Chandra Roy. and first elected Vice-Chairman was Mr. Khawaja Amirullah. Prior to that, a Committee for the improvement of Dacca was formed in 1823. The Act of 1884 added the provision of elected representatives called commissioners. In 1978, it gained status as Dhaka Municipality Corporation, and in 1990, it became Dhaka City Corporation. It is divided into 90 wards. In 1982, two adjoining municipalities, Mirpur and Gulshan, were merged with Dhaka Municipality. The Administrator of Dhaka Municipal Corporation, after Bangladesh was formed was Lt. Col. Hesamuddin Ahmed psc (Retd). In 1983, it was renamed as Dhaka Municipal Corporation. Finally, in 1990, it was renamed as Dhaka City Corporation. Until 1994, mayors were appointed by the government. The first elected mayor by popular vote took office in 1994, late Mayor Mohammad Hanif was the first elected Mayor of Dhaka. The Local Govt. (City Corporation) Act 2009, (Amendment-2011), Dhaka City Corporation has divided as Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC). In April 2002, Mr. Sadeque Hossain Khoka was elected Mayor of Dhaka City Corporation and he was the last mayor of Dhaka City Corporation. Annisul Huq was elected mayor of the Dhaka North City Corporation in April 2015.
List of officeholders Political parties
No. Portrait Officeholder Election Term of office Designation Political party From To Period 1 Abul Hasnat() – 31 October 1977 9 May 1982 Mayor Bangladesh Nationalist PartyPost vacant (1982 – 1986) 2 Mohammad Abdul Malek() – 20 October 1986 9 October 1989 Mayor Jatiya Party (Ershad) 3 Naziur Rahman Manzur() – 9 October 1989 2 December 1990 Mayor Jatiya Party (Ershad) 4 Abul Hasnat() – 3 December 1990 12 December 1990 Mayor Bangladesh Nationalist Party 5 Mirza Abbas – 13 December 1990 11 March 1994 Mayor Bangladesh Nationalist Party 6 Mohammad Hanif() 1994 12 March 1994 4 April 2002 Mayor Bangladesh Awami League 7 Sadeque Hossain Khoka() 2002 25 April 2002 29 November 2011 Mayor Bangladesh Nationalist PartyPost abolished (2 new mayor post have been formed)
Bifurcation
The Awami League government on 29 November 2011 dissolved the Dhaka City Corporation by the Local Government (City Corporation) Amendment Bill 2011 passed by the Parliament of Bangladesh after being placed in the Parliament on 23 November. The city corporation will be split into two corporations, North and South, with the southern wing holding more territory than the north. Each corporation will be a self-governing entity, thus giving the city of Dhaka two mayors. The government holds that bifurcation would ensure better quality of civic services to the denizens of the city.
Dhaka North City Corporation Dhaka North City Corporation consists of 54 wards covering the thanas of Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Pallabi, Adabor, Kafrul, Dhaka Cantonment, Tejgaon, Gulshan, Rampura, Banani, Bimanbandar, Khilkhet, Vatara, Badda, Uttara & some others. The area of Dhaka north city corporation is 196.22 square km. The current administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation is Mohammad Ejaz. +Zone-1Ward No.Ward Area Name1Uttara Model Town17Kuril, Khilkhet, Nikunjo +Zone-2Ward No.Ward Area Name2Mirpur-12, Mirpur Ceramic3Mirpur-104Mirpur-14, Bysthtek5Mirpur-11, Palashnagar, Bawneabad Area6Mirpur-6 & 7, Pallabi7Mirpur-2, Rupnagar, Govt. Housing Estate8Mirpur-1, Box Nagar, Zoo and Botanical Garden15Vasantek, Matikata, Manikdey, Barontek +Zone-3Ward No.Ward Area Name18Baridhara, Shahzadpur19Gulshan, Banani20Mohakhali, Niketan21Badda22East Rampura, Ulon, West Haji Para23Khilgaon B Zone, Purbo Haji Para, Chowdhury Para24Tejgaon I/A, Kunipara25Azrat Para, Rasulbagh, Tejgaon35Boro Moghbazar, Eskaton36Neyatola Zone-4Ward No.Ward Area Name9Golartek, Baghbari, Gabtoli Bus Terminal10Gabtoli, Mirpur Colony, Darus Salam11Paik Para12Ahmed Nagar13Monipur, Parerbagh14Kazipara, Shewrapara, Senpara-parbata16Ibrahimpur, Kafrul Zone-5Ward No.Ward Area Name26Kawran Bazar27Rajabazar, Monipuripara, Indra Road28Agargaon, Taltola Staff Quarter29Mohammadpur30Shyamoli Ring Road, Adabor, Shekhertek31Mohammadpur Azam Road, Zakir Hossain Road, Kazi Nazrul Islam Road34Jafrabad, Sultanganj, Rayer Bazar, Bibir Bazar, Madhu Bazar
Dhaka South City Corporation Dhaka South City Corporation consists of 75 wards covering the thanas of Paltan, Motijheel, Jatrabari, Kotwali, Sutrapur, Bangsal, Wari, Ramna, Gendaria, Chowkbazar, Lalbagh, Hazaribagh, Dhanmondi, Shahbagh, New Market, Khilgaon, Kamrangirchar & some others. The area of Dhaka south city corporation is 109.24 square km.The current administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation is MD. Shahjahan Miah +Zone-1Ward No.Ward Area Name15161718192021 +Zone-2Ward No.Ward Area Name12345678910111213 +Zone-3Ward No.Ward Area Name142223242526272829555657 +Zone-4Ward No.Ward Area Name3031323334353637384243 +Zone-5Ward No.Ward Area Name73940414445464748495051525354 +Zone-6Ward No.Ward Area Name707475 +Zone-7Ward No.Ward Area Name717273 +Zone-8Ward No.Ward Area Name66676869 +Zone-9Ward No.Ward Area Name62North Kutubkhali, South Kazla, South Kazla(Noyanogon), Chontek, Sheikhdi, Gobindopur, North Rayerbagh.63Kazlar par, Vangapress, Kazirgaon, Matuail, Majhpara, Matuail uttorpara, Matuail sharifpara,64Konapara, Puraton airpara, IR Tubes factory, Dharmik Para, City mills, Mallik Para, Para Dogar, New Para65Momenbagh, Adorshobagh, Rohmotpur, Modhubagh, Muslimnagar, Mogolnogor, Khuriyapara, Keramipaa Dokkshinpara, Vuiyabari, Khan bari, Rayerbagh Hashem Road, Rayerbari Khanka, Matuail Medical, Saddam Market, Tushardhaa, Giridhara, South part of Bisshoroad +Zone-10Ward No.Ward Area Name58596061
Opposition to the bifurcation
The split was condemned by opposition party BNP, some citizens, and even by members of the incumbent government. Incumbent mayor Khoka (who lost his seat) of BNP promised that he would not contest the next city elections if the government would let the city not be split. He also promised that the split will be scrapped once BNP returns to power. Incumbent councillors as well as staff of the former City Corporation went on strike if the bill was passed. Protesting staff of the corporation were met with an armed police force.
There were calls by some for a referendum before the split was made.
Since only the corporations are being split without a split in service providing agencies, this may give rise to a messy situation with a bureaucratic bottleneck, causing co-ordination failure amongst the services provided to the citizens. Some have suggested that the creation of two corporations will result in a greater payment in taxpaying money for administrative expenses, without a guarantee of improvement in civic services.
Since the Constitution of Bangladesh names Dhaka as the capital of Bangladesh, some legal experts believe that the law may be challenged as a violation of the constitution. To this end, Khoka filed a writ petition at the High Court challenging the new law after it was passed; the court, in turn, asked the government to show cause as to why the split was not illegal or unconstitutional.
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