Top Ganabhaban sources told bdnews24.com about the nomination of former BGMEA chief Huq and former Dhaka mayor Mohammad Hanif’s son Khokon.

When contacted, Khokon told bdnews24.com that he went to the Ganabhaban to respond to a call by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Asked about the nomination, he smiled and said, “The prime minister has asked me to work.”

Huq said he had a long meeting with the prime minister.

“And it’s not a partisan election. But if Awami League backs me, then I am an Awami League candidate,” he added.

Earlier, media reports said the nomination of the two was discussed in a Cabinet meeting.

The DCC election has been on hold for eight years.

Around two and a half years have passed after the bifurcation of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC).

Now, unelected administrators are heading the DCCs.

The term of the last elected DCC ended in May 2007 – five years after the last polls for the undivided DCC that were held in 2002. 

The last elected Dhaka Mayor was BNP’s Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

The government sent a letter to the Election Commission asking it to organise polls in the newly demarcated DCCs.

A gazette regarding the resolution of the complexities over demarcation was also sent with it.

Amidst agitations by BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami coalition demanding snap general polls, the EC is planning to hold the DCC elections in April-May.

The coalition says the government is organising the polls to deflect public gaze from the current political crisis.