Shishu Park closure is depriving children

For over four decades, Shishu Park, the country's first amusement park for children, had been a source of joy and cherished memories for countless children and families. Located in the heart of Dhaka, it offered affordable entertainment options in a city where such opportunities are still scarce. It is, therefore, hard to accept the park's prolonged closure dating back to January 2019. According to a report by this daily, the closure, primarily attributed to modernisation efforts, has since turned into a saga of overlapping purposes, bureaucratic red tape, and budgetary complications, with the authorities unable to provide a tentative date of reopening even after four and a half years.

The question is, why is this being allowed to drag on? It is perhaps not surprising when you think of the plight of parks, zoos and other outdoor recreation facilities managed by urban authorities across the country. We have often come across similar reports of prolonged closures in the name of modernisation. Even those that are open to the public are often poorly run, with allegations of mismanagement and antisocial activities routinely heard of. The Ramna Park recently made news for still imposing a pandemic-time entry restriction during certain hours, when apparently only "sirs" can enter it. The picture that emerges from this state of affairs is deeply troubling, especially in a city with few public spaces and facilities left for recreation. Although there are some private amusement parks for children in Dhaka, those are often prohibitively expensive for low-income families.

Shishu Park is now the site of several development works simultaneously, thus complicating and lengthening their execution. While the DSCC's plan for its modernisation through the installation of 15 new rides is yet to take off, works on an underground parking lot within the park as well as an underpass – implemented by the Department of Public Works – are at various stages of development. Given the glacial pace at which all this is happening, DSCC thinks it may take another three years for its own project to be completed once it receives approval.

What this means is that the gates of this beloved and affordable amusement park will remain locked indefinitely. This is totally unacceptable. We urge the authorities to expedite the park modernisation work. Not doing so is an injustice to the children who are growing up without the joy and wonder that Shishu Park once offered.