Authorities of Dhaka South City Corporation yesterday placed two signboards on the main gate of the capital’s Dhanmondi playground, saying the ground had been made open to all.
A DSCC mobile team, led by the Executive Magistrate Mohammad Atul Mandal and Kabir Mahmud, in cooperation of police installed the signboards at 1:30pm to announce the declaration. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club security chief Sergeant Marafat Ali was also present during the installation.
The signboards read: “Dhanmondi playground is open to all.”
The DSCC decision came days after continuous protests by activists of 50 environmental and social organisations and Dhanmondi residents demanding the playground be opened to the all and all illegal structures by the club be demolished.
When contacted, Atul Mandal, told the Dhaka Tribune: “As it is a public playground, everyone has the right to use it.”
He further added that no one was allowed to interfere over the playground position without prior permission of the city corporation.”
However, authorities of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club declined to comment over the DSCC action.
Visiting the playground after the declaration, this correspondent found that a large numbers of children and youths had been playing football and cricket at the playground. Later, the Sheikh Jamal Club Football team also came in field to practice football.
The private club’s football coach Joseph told the Dhaka Tribune: “Our football team and locals played in the playground separately.
“We were practicing in one part of the field while and the local youths played on the other side. Thus, we faced no difficulties during our practice.”
Moreover, many local, who found the opportunity to enter the playground freely in the evening, also expressed their satisfaction over the city corporation’s declaration.
Meanwhile, the green activists have expressed their dissatisfaction
and noted that signboards declaring the playground as open to all was not enough.
Institute of Architects Bangladesh former president Architect Mubasshar Hussain, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The city corporation only installed signboards on gates of the public playground and that was all.
The city corporation did not take any step to remove establishments from the playground.”
He further added that movements would continue until illegal establishments were removed from the public playground.
In 2004, following a petition filed by Bangladesh Poribesh Andalan (Bapa) and IAB, the High Court directed the then city corporation (now Dhaka South City Corporation) to free Dhanmondi playground from the illegal occupation of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club.
