Public playground grabbed

The gate of Dhanmondi-8 playground in the capital remains closed to the people after a private club grabbed the ground. The club has deployed round-the-clock security watch to ward off mostly children wanting to play in the ground. Dhaka city corporation has been ignoring two court orders to make the ground accessible to all. Photo: Star

Barring public access, a private club has grabbed the Dhanmondi-8 playground in the capital as an exclusive zone despite repeated High Court orders to keep it as a public space.

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, a registered private organisation named after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's slain brother, has deployed round-the-clock security to prevent anyone other than club members from entering the field.

The club without any permission from the government has long been occupying the playground with illegal structures.

On July 20, the club authorities knocked down a portion of the newly-built boundary wall to have construction materials in the playground to erect some structures in a blatant defiance of the HC order.

Mubasshar Hussein, who resides near the playground, said: "I used to have an evening stroll in the field with my seven-year-old granddaughter. Now, we are not allowed to go there."

On holidays and weekends, the playground used to buzz with hundreds of local children, he said, adding that the ground now lies empty and silent.

Farzana Shahnaz Majid, who has been living in Dhanmondi for over four decades, said she and her three siblings used to play in the field designated in the master plan as a facility for the locals.

"The playground is off limits to us now," she said.

In 2004, following a public interest petition filed jointly by environmentalist group Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon and Institute of Architects Bangladesh, the HC directed the city corporation to free the playground from illegal occupancy.

In March 2011, the court again ordered Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), the public works ministry, and the club authorities to remove all illegal structures and ensure that the field remains open to public.

None has complied with the order.

Instead, the city corporation built an expensive boundary wall and a majestic entrance with public money serving the club's purpose of making the playground an exclusive zone.

Jahangir Alam, chief engineer of DSCC, said they had spent Tk 1 crore to build the boundary wall with ceramic bricks and metal frames and revamp the field.

"I do not know why the wall was so necessary. As for us, we just carried out orders from the higher authorities," he said.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Benazir Ahmed chairs the club's governing body and frequents the illegally-built club office in the playground, said Mubasshar, who lives near by.

The Daily Star since July made several attempts to contact the police commissioner and left messages with his staff officer for his comments on the issue, but to no avail.

Contacted over the mobile phone, club president Manzur Kader said, "I will not talk over the phone." He hung up.

The Daily Star then made several calls to get an appointment with him. But when he finally picked up the phone, Manzur said, "I do not want to talk about the issue at all."

Ansar Ali, chief executive officer of DSCC, said they had asked the club authorities to remove the illegal structures and free the playground.

Asked why they did not do it themselves, Ansar Ali said, "We will explain that to the court. You [The Daily Star correspondent] write whatever you wish."

In July 2008, the public works ministry decided to free the ground of illegal structures, but it is evident nothing has been achieved.

Secretary of the ministry Khondaker Shawkat Hossain said, "The playground has been saved and maintained. I see nothing to fear about."

In 1984, the public works department handed over the 13.5-bigha playground to the then Dhaka City Corporation for conservation and maintenance.