After working in the organization committee of Komsomol's central office in Moscow for two years, Hasanov moved back to Baku in 1971 and worked as tutor and deputy department director of Azerbaijan Communist Party. Later on, he worked as the First Secretary of Sabail district in 1975–1978, as First Secretary of Sumgayit Party Committee in 1978–1979 and as First Secretary of Ganja Party Committee in 1979–1981. From 1981 through 1990, Hasanov served as Secretary of Central Committee of Azerbaijan Communist Party and member of bureau and chaired the economic policies committee at the same institution from 1989 until 1990.