Green activists and leaders of 50 social bodies yesterday held a rally in front of the Institute of Fine Arts of Dhaka University to press home their four-point demand, including withdrawal of false cases against protesters and demolishing all illegal establishments on the Dhanmondi playground.
At the rally organised under the banner of “Movement to save Dhanmondi playground,” Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) General Secretary Abdul Matin said: “Protests from city residents forced the city corporation to install signboards declaring the playground open to all.”
Bapa Joint General Secretary Iqbal Habib said: “The playground was not freed at the prime minister’s recommendation, it was freed in the wake of the movements by the citizens.”
Alleging the city corporation had not taken any steps to remove the illegal establishments of the private sporting club from the playground, he warned that movements would continue until these structures were demolished.
“The Sheikh Jamal Club authority should immediately withdraw the false suit against environmental activists,” said forum convener and former national cricketer Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, adding that a committee should be formed with the city corporation authority and Dhanmondi residents for the playground.
The field had been kept occupied by Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club for almost two years. The Dhaka South City Corporation on Thursday placed two signboards, saying the ground was open to all.
