Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Memorial Park, which has been named after the first prime minister of the country, is being encroached through building various infrastructures in the park located at Gulshan-2 in the capital.
Environmentalists and rights activists have demanded to take the necessary steps for the rescue of the park from encroachment.
Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA), a civic platform on environment, has alleged that an organisation named ‘Gulshan Youth Club’ has built various infrastructures in the park and field. The organisation completely occupied the Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Park by surrounding it with a high wire fence.
Dr Lenin Chowdhury, executive president of POBA; and Mesbah Uddin Ahmed Sumon, general secretary of the organisation; raised the allegation in a joint statement issued on Tuesday (April 2, 2024).
They called upon the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), Department of Environment (DoE) and Dhaka district administration to take immediate steps in this regard.
In the press statement, the POBA said that Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Park has been developed in a posh area in the capital considering the conservation of environment, recreation of common people, exercise, retention and removal of rain water. People consider the park as an aesthetic place for recreation and fresh air. Such kind of park is a unique example of the government’s initiatives to protect public health and environment.
The statement says that the park is now not open for common people. The encroachers are now renting out the park to various commercial establishments for sports, coaching and other activities.
The Gulshan Youth Club controls access to all the entrances to the park by placing round-the-clock guards. Blocking the access of common people by preserving the community playground is a clear evidence of occupation, says POBA.
“Now occupying the open space of Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Park, they are making football turf. They closed the open space to absorb the rainwater with a cast iron. In this way they have destroyed the grassy green area and through this change they have taken over the park,” says the statement.
Dr Lenin Chowdhury and Mesbah Uddin Ahmed Sumon on behalf of POBA alleged that the parks and fields in Dhaka are being occupied by various clubs. They are using the parks and fields for commercial purposes. It is surprising that a club in the heart of a city like Gulshan and so close to the Dhaka North City Corporation has taken over the community field and park like this. Construction of such infrastructure in open field is a clear violation of law. They said, “By creating infrastructure for commercial use in the field and park thus restricting the access of the general public, it is not only violating the law, but also violating the directives of the court and the announcement of the Prime Minister. The PM has been urging to create adequate sports opportunities for children. On the other hand, the High Court has directed the district administrators to protect the field and parks. However, the Gulshan Youth Club has shown the audacity to violate the directives of the court and the Prime Minister by occupying the park and field.”
“We call upon the DNCC, RAJUK, DoE and district administration to take immediate steps to save the Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Memorial Park. We hope these institutions will take responsibility for the management of this field and evict any illegal encroaching institutions. It is our hope that the community field will be open to all,” the POBA leaders said in the statement.