TDS: What was the city like when you first came to Dhaka?
ZP: The city used to be deserted at that time, which stirred up curiosity and fears in my mind. I was very curious to explore my dream city and I was afraid that I would get lost in this big, unknown city. Only rickshaws, bicycles and a few cars were seen on the roads. From Phulbari Train Station it took hardly 5 to 6 minutes on rickshaw to come to Jagannath College. At present it takes 1 hour.

TDS: What do you miss most in the city as compared to your early days in Dhaka?
ZP: I miss the horse carts, playgrounds and the open spaces. In Jagannath College there was a huge field where we used to practice. There was a beautiful canal beside the college, which is now occupied. Living in the dormitory I could hear the roar of a tiger. Nowadays I can hardly hear a bird's chirp let alone a tiger's roar.

TDS: How have the changes in the city affected your life?
ZP: Being a sportsman I cannot practice for the lack of playgrounds. There is no open space where I can walk and breath some fresh air. Nowadays the law and order situation has become so fragile that we have to remain vigilant all the time. I cannot move freely as I did earlier.

TDS: Which part of Dhaka in your eyes, we should be proud of?
ZP: The Jatiyo Sangsad Bhaban is a place we should all be proud of. I travelled to lots of countries but I have never seen such a beautiful parliament building anywhere else. In other countries one cannot go in the vicinity of the parliament but in our country one can enjoy its beauty very closely. Other than this Ahsan Manjil, Salimullah Hall and Curzon Hall are also the places to be proud of.

TDS: What do you envisage for Dhaka in future?
ZP: If I had an option, I would not have been living here. Decentralisation process must be expedited soon, otherwise the situation will get worse in this already densely populated city. The city should have some model towns on the outskirts. I wish the city always looked like the way it does during long holidays, especially during Eid. The roads are choked with lots of private cars, which are the main reasons of traffic jam. The government should stop importing cars and introduce good city service transport system.

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Zakaria Pintu, captain of Swadhin Bangla Football team and first captain of National Football Team spoke to Wahida Mitu of Star City.