DNCC, the biggest city corporation

With more than 23.45 lakh voters, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) turned out to be the biggest city corporation in the country in terms of population.

The DNCC, which has posh areas like the diplomatic zones, the Prime Minister's Office and residence, and the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, goes to polls today for the first time after the Awami League-led grand alliance government had split the Dhaka city into two in November 2011.

Dhaka was just a thana having only 3,000 people with an area of 2 square kilometres in the 16th century during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar and it was made the capital of the eastern province in 1608 by Subedar Islam Khan. Dhaka municipality was established on August 1, 1864.

After the partition of India, Dhaka became the provincial capital of the then East Pakistan in 1947. It became the capital of Bangladesh with the independence in 1971.

The corporation was formed with the introduction of Dhaka Municipal Corporation Ordinance, 1983, repealing the application of Pourashava Ordinance, 1977. In 1990, Dhaka Municipal Corporation was renamed Dhaka City Corporation and was divided into 10 zones.

The election to the undivided DCC was held in January 1994, and Mohammad Hanif became the first elected Mayor. In April 2002, Sadeque Hossain Khoka was elected mayor of the DCC. After 13 years, Dhaka dwellers will exercise their franchise today.

After the bifurcation of the DCC, the DNCC got six administrators with six months tenure to run the corporation.