The decision on whether a new police station will be built on the Tetultola playground ultimately rests with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday told reporters he would soon hold discussions with the prime minister on whether the police station can be shifted to a different location amid widespread outcry over its construction on the field.
The minister made the remark at a press conference after a meeting with a five-member delegation representing those who are against the construction of the police station on the playground. Rights activist Khushi Kabir was among the members of the delegation.
Representatives of the protesters will submit a letter outlining their demands to the home minister tomorrow. Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal assured them that he would deliver the letter to the prime minister.
“There is no construction ongoing at the ground right now. However, walls will be put up as the land now belongs to the police. Both police stations and fields are necessary to serve the public interest,” the home minister said.
He added that the field being referred to as Tetultola playground was never officially a playground.
“It was a vacant lot, an abandoned property. The police were having problems as they do not have their own police station building, so the deputy commissioner allotted the land for the police station,” Kamal said.
Representatives of the protesters at the press conference said discussions with the home minister were positive than before. They also reiterated their demand to end the construction of the police station at Tetultola field.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), said: "The home minister feels the need for a playground. We mentioned that there are more abandoned places in the area where they could build the police station.”
Calling for a stop to the construction of the police station and a removal of the walls, Khushi Kabir said: “We want the jamaat for this Eid-ul-Fitr to be held at the field, as it is held every year, and for the field to be kept free for children. This will be difficult with the walls coming up. The minister told us they would look for alternative places for the police station, and he also told us to help find alternative places.”
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<<Tougher movement>>
"We have strongly urged that the construction work be immediately stopped. Otherwise, an adverse situation will be created,” Khushi Kabir said as she joined a protest at the Tetultola ground after the meeting.
Various protest programs have been held at the ground every day since a woman and her son were detained for several hours on April 24 after asking for a stop to the construction of the police station.
At 12 noon yesterday, human rights activists, environmentalists, cultural personalities, and locals planted 14 trees along the border of the field. Speakers urged everyone present to lay siege to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Dhaka South City Corporation to stop the construction on the field.
A puppet show and cricket match were organized alongside the protests.
Syeda Ratna, coordinator of Tetultola Math Rokkhya Andolan, said: “We are optimistic about today's discussion with the minister. This movement has now reached the national level, and is not just for locals. It will become bigger and stronger.”
Hossain, a construction worker at the ground, said all construction work at the ground had stopped at around 2pm when protesters started gathering there.
