Entrance, top, and the interior, below, of Jati Sangha Park in the Panchlaish Residential Area. PHOTO: ANURUP KANTI DAS

Jati Sangha Park is losing its attraction gradually as it lacks amusement facilities for the visitors. They also feel insecure there as vagrants roam the park without any resistance.
Only five parks are available for the city dwellers. Of them, only two have free access for the people. Jati Sangha Park is one of the two.
Local Councillor Syed Golam Haider Mintu said the park has been established by filling a big pond in the Panchlaish Residential Area (PRA) in 1964. The Public Works Department (PWD) established the park with a view to providing some open space to the city dwellers. The pond including the open space was fenced in 1968. According to Ahmedul Huq, Estate officer of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC), the park was handed over to the then Chittagong Municipal Corporation in 1969. The park was called PRA Park. It was named Jati Sangha Park (United Nations Park) in 2002 in accordance with a proposal of the Ministry of Local Government.
The park situated on one acre of land is abound with trees like mango, jackfruit, black berry, coconut, nut, Mehagani, Gamari, Akashmani, Arjun, Rain tree, Raj Karai, Krishnachura and Shishu. A beautiful pond in the park enhances its beauty. There is also an amoeba-shaped tank inside the park. Fishes, specially Telapia, are seen playing in the tank water, charming the visitors. The visitors throw various food items like “muri,” for the fishes into the tank.
The garden enriched the park with various attractive flowers such as dalia, ganda, sunflower, swarnakuthi, joba, red rose, white rose, rabon and daisy.
It remains open for the visitors from 4:00pm to 8:00pm managed by 11 staff.
Aziz Ahmed, a staff, said on an average around 100 visitors come everyday that increase on Friday or any public holiday up to 500. People from all age groups including men, women, children, students and workers visit the park. Most of them are from middle or low income group.
Pushpita Chakrabarty, a visitor, said the park could be the most sought after place for amusement for the city dwellers. Due to the negligence of the authorities, its facet is not up-to-date and it falls short of minimum facilities for the visitors.
She said there is no bench to sit, security measure is very poor, the boundary wall is so low that any miscreant can enter the park by jumping the wall and can easily escape after committing crimes.
Raktim Chowdhury, a student of class three, was disappointed on not finding any sort of playing instrument for children. His father Pritam Chowdhury said he could not fulfil his son's dream of riding a swing or a merry-go-round.
Shahedul Azam, an executive of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), said whenever he gets scope he visits the park as it is one of his favourite places in the city. The park is afflicted with many problems, including inadequate security measures, he added.
Sources said the park area becomes more vulnerable after 8:00pm as floating sex workers try to attract their clients creating nuisance. Drug addicts choose the area as it remains dark at night and get together to take drugs after 8:00pm. Police arrested a fugitive criminal from the area around 10:00pm on Friday.
Nobojyoti Khisa, officer-in-charge of Panchlaish Police Station, said two mobile teams regularly conduct drive in the area to maintain law and order.
Mayor M Manjur Alam said they have already taken some initiatives to renovate the park with modern facilities, including a swimming pool for the children. The boundary wall will also be elevated and swing and benches will be set up. Some additional lights will immediately be provided to the park area, he added.
Dr Tahmina Banu, a specialist on child health, said they used to play in the park in childhood and now the park is very pitiable. She emphasised having the availability of more open spaces in the port city so that the children can grow up well both physically and mentally.
The city dwellers have been demanding for open spaces and other amusement centres like parks for a long time. But the authorities do not bother to the demands of the city dwellers. Moreover in many cases it is seen that they put the existing parks rather in their dilapidated condition and do not take steps to modernise these. Jati Sangha Park is now struggling for survival. Authorities have given assurance several times for taking initiatives to renovate the park with modern facilities. But promises still remain to be fulfilled.