Chandrima Udyan is a decade-old public park frequented by joggers from nearby areas and health-conscious people who are well-known for combined exercise sessions. Students also visit the park after classes to hang out with friends, while lower- and middle-class people come here with family members on holidays and festivals.
Located in close proximity to the prime minister's official residence, parliament complex and Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, the park houses the grave of BNP founder and slain military dictator General Ziaur Rahman. To commemorate different days, party supporters also visit the park occasionally.
On the south side of the park runs a lake in parallel with the road from Ganabhaban to Bijoy Sarani. Many people, mainly couples, usually sit on the walkway and avoid going inside the park—especially in the dark—as they are aware of the possible consequences of confronting sex workers and muggers.
Sohail Rana, 28, of Mirpur-10 fell prey to the scammers on a Friday afternoon last month while visiting the park with a friend for the first time.
He came to Dhaka from Chandpur for a job not long ago. He has not visited Dhaka city much. So, whenever he gets a chance, he visits the various entertainment centres of the city. Since Friday was a holiday, he took a friend for a walk in Chandrima Udyan.
While they were walking along the bank of the lake at around 7pm, suddenly a young woman stood in front of them, making various signs. It took them a few seconds to understand what was happening. The woman asked them whether they would take her inside the park or on a rickshaw ride, or to any hotel.
As soon as they went past the woman, rejecting her advances, two men started following them. The duo tried to convince the friends in various ways. At one point, Sohail and his friend realized that the duo were muggers or hijackers. After realizing this, they ran away from the park.
Another incident of harassment was reported after some time. A young woman was sitting on the wall of the park's lake waiting for her friend. Being alone, she also had to face an awkward situation since some men started loitering around her and saying nothing—they were standing aimlessly or making gestures at her. So, she chose to move away from the spot but the men were still roaming around her.
The woman told this reporter that different types of people come in and out of the park. The real visitors get confused because of these bad guys.
“I had to tell some people to 'stand down' as they blocked my way, thinking that I was one among their party. If the floating sex workers are not banned in the park, many people will be in such a situation in future,” she said, seeking anonymity.
Sohail Mia thinks the muggers and these sex workers belong to the same group. “When a visitor goes to a sex worker, these muggers follow from a distance. Later, taking the opportunity, they threaten the man and rob him of everything.”
Swapan Mia has been selling peanuts in Chandrima Udyan for the past four years from afternoon to night. He has seen many occurrences happening around the park.
“There is no such problem during the day. When evening descends, sex workers and different types of people start coming. These women usually wait on the sidewalks. I have heard that money and mobile phones are taken away from the men who go with them inside the park.
“Not only these women but there are also some young men who commit various misdeeds and flee by climbing the wall of the conference centre and to the space where the trade fair used to take place previously. The police are there all the time, but they don't stop the criminals,” Swapan Mia told this reporter.
What do the police say?
Prostitution is not banned in Bangladesh but there are laws that stipulate punishment for buying and selling underage girls and for creating a public nuisance.
Police officer Md Salahuddin has been performing duties around Chandrima Udyan and Sangsad Bhaban for a long time. He thinks the crime rate has dropped a lot in these areas in recent years.
“Chandrima Udyan used to be a hangout for criminals, sex workers and drug addicts. At present, due to 24-hour tight security, these people stay away from this place,” he said.
Another policeman said the law enforcers remove the sex workers and muggers from the park regularly, but they come back again. At some point, they make abusive remarks.
Sex workers and brokers are also seen on the sidewalk on Manik Mia Avenue in front of Sangsad Bhaban. In the evenings, they are seen standing in groups when thousands of people walk from Farmgate to Lalmatia, Dhanmondi and Asad Gate areas.
Utpal Barua, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station, says he is not aware of the movement of floating sex workers in this way.
“Our patrol police are always present in these areas. If there is something like this, I will find out and take action quickly. Besides, we have not received any specific complaint in this regard.”
