The Jatisangha Park in Chattogram city's Panchlaish area is set to be opened to general public tomorrow afternoon, after remaining closed for around two years.

While the park's renovation work was completed around four months back, it could not be reopened immediately, as the decision hanged on a single question -- how would it be opened or who would inaugurate it?

As a result, people were deprived of using the facilities of this public space.

According to officials from Public Works Department (PWD), the park, however, will be kept open for only three hours due to shortage of manpower for its operation and maintenance.

The ministry concerned is yet to approve the appointment of required manpower to look after the park. As such, for the time being, the authorities of the park appointed a handful of staff from other parks to look after it until the ministry approves the required manpower for it.

Adilur Rahman Khan, adviser to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, is scheduled to inaugurate the park, said PWD officials.

"We will open the park to general public on Friday afternoon after inauguration in the morning," said Kamrul Islam Khan, executive engineer of PWD, Chattogram (Div-1).

"Initially the park will be open for three hours daily from 3:00pm to 6:00pm due to shortage of staff," he also said.

"We have formulated a proposal for appointing 21 staffers for the park, and sent it to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works for approval. Meanwhile, we brought four staffers from other parks run by PWD in Chattogram to look after Jatisangha Park until necessary manpower for it is hired," he added.

Meanwhile, locals are happy as the park is going to be reopened after a long time.

"There is no other park for residents of Panchlaish, Katalganj, Chawkbazar, Kapasgola, Badurtola, Shulakbahar, Mirzarpool, Parobarttak, Sugandha and Muradpur areas. So, people from these areas used to come to Jatisangha Park for spending time," said Miltan Das, a resident of Katalganj area.

"As the park was in a sorry state and kept shut for a long time, we were deprived of its facilities. We are happy as it is finally reopening to public after renovation," he added.

Abdul Awal, a resident of Panchlaish area, urged the authorities concerned to hire required manpower for the park promptly to make sure it can be kept open to people adequately.

Renovation work of the 59-year-old park, with an expanse of around 2.17 acres, began in January 2023 and was completed in September last year at a cost of Tk 12.62 crore under the Chattogram PWD's green garden development project.