After remaining closed for nearly nine years, Osmani Udyan in the capital has reopened following a Tk147 crore renovation. The park now features new entrances, water bodies, walking paths, recreational facilities and a memorial to the July uprising.
However, the makeover has raised questions about whether Dhaka residents have regained their familiar green retreat or whether much of its natural character has been lost to concrete.
Owned by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), the 23-acre park is located between the Bangladesh secretariat and Nagar Bhaban. It has long served as a green refuge amid the traffic and crowds of Gulistan.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the renovated park and the July memorial on October 19. It opened to the public the following day.
The main entrance, opposite the Police Headquarters, has been rebuilt with two concrete gates shaped like the number 24 to commemorate the 2024 uprising. Inside, visitors will find fountains, water bodies, paved walkways, seating areas and elevated paths. The park has around 3.1km of walking routes.
However, the extensive use of concrete has drawn attention. Former dirt tracks have been replaced with paved paths, while concrete structures have been added around the water bodies.
Eden College student Nadia, who visited with a friend, welcomed the reopening but said the library, food court and health centre should open soon to make the park more lively.
A history of greenery and activism
Named after General MA G Osmani, commander-in-chief of the Liberation War, the park was once divided into 11 sections to commemorate the war's 11 sectors. It featured two small lakes, walking paths, sculptures and an auditorium.
Its historic Mughal-era cannon, Bibi Mariam, which had been a major attraction near the entrance, has been relocated beside the renovated Dhaka Gate.
The park earned the name “lungs of Dhaka” partly through a civic movement in the late 1990s, when environmentalists, teachers, writers and citizens protested a plan to build an international conference centre there. Their campaign sought to protect around 11,000 trees, and the plan was eventually scrapped.
Despite later plantation initiatives, many mature trees were felled during development work. Urban planners have also alleged that the renovation did not comply with building regulations, which allow structures to cover a maximum of 5% of a park's area.
New facilities, unfinished work
The Tk108 crore main redevelopment project included boundary walls, a city museum, a library, 12 shops, a gymnasium, parking facilities, renovated lake banks and walkways. Five new water bodies, a children's play area, indoor games facilities, public toilets and a rainwater storage system were also included.
A 90-foot July memorial has been built over nearly one acre. The bronze structure carries the names of 834 people killed in the 2024 uprising, alongside 20 symbolic tombstones. Relief sculptures depict major events in the country's history, from the Language Movement to the July uprising.
However, the museum, library, gymnasium, parking area and food shops are not yet operational. DSCC says the remaining work may take another two months.
Visitors question loss of trees, entry fee
The park has various tree species, including mango, jackfruit, tamarind, banyan, neem and rain tree. But visitors say the loss of mature trees has reduced its greenery.
Old Dhaka businessman Osman Gani, who visited with a friend, said many large trees had been cut down.
“The greenery that once existed is no longer there. It used to feel cool when we came here, but now it feels hot,” he said, adding that newly planted trees would take years to mature.
Another concern is the introduction of a Tk10 entry fee. Abul Hasan, who visited with his wife and three children, questioned the charge, saying the park should remain free for ordinary people, including those who come for morning walks.
The park is open daily from 7am to 6pm.
Delays push up project cost
The redevelopment project was taken up in late 2017, and work began in January 2018 with a 10-month completion target. The original contractor's agreement was cancelled in 2022 over alleged delays and contractual issues. PF Corporation was appointed in September 2023, but the project again missed its deadline.
The initial estimated cost of Tk54-58 crore eventually rose to Tk108 crore for the main project. Another Tk39 crore was spent on the memorial and entrance gates, taking the total to around Tk147 crore.
At the inauguration, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stressed the need to minimise environmental damage in development projects.
Preserving the remaining trees, expanding greenery, completing unfinished facilities and ensuring public access remain key challenges for DSCC.