Grabbers milking name of Bangabandhu's son
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club is exploiting the name of a member of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's family to strengthen its illegal grip on the road-8 public playground, agitating environmental activists told a rally yesterday.
Some 50 environmentalist organisations under the banner of "Save Dhanmondi Playground Movement" organised the protest programme in front of the capital's Jatiya Press Club, demanding cancellation of what they called a false case against some eminent green activists fighting for freeing the public space.
Organisers include Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa), Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela), and the Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB).
“The club, which is a limited company, is exploiting the image of prime minister's slain brother Lt Sheikh Jamal to reinforce its illegal hold on the playground to serve its business ends,” said Bapa General Secretary Dr Abdul Matin.
The club owners, who should be sued for grabbing a public playground, sued the local residents for entering the playground on Friday, he said. “The authorities must scrap such an unfounded case.”
Abu Naser Khan, chairman of Poribesh Bachao Andolan, echoed him.
Ruhin Hossain Prince, a central leader of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, said the club owners had chosen to manipulate the name of Bangabandhu's family to defy the High Court and government authorities.
The Bangladesh Football Federation president has taken a position against the people siding with the club, he said.
For over the past two years, the club has been occupying the playfield as its exclusive zone denying the public access to it.
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club General Secretary Arifur Rahman filed a case against four eminent environmentalists and sports organisers on Friday for entering the playground that day.
The accused included former IAB president Mubasshar Hussein, Bapa Joint Secretary Iqbal Habib, architect Salma A Shafi and national sports award winner Kamrunnahar Dana, all of whom are Dhanmondi residents.
Among them, Dana, who is currently general secretary of Bangladesh Women's Sports Association and a director of Mohammedan Sporting Club, was at home on Friday, as she was sick.
In mid-2011, the High Court ordered Dhaka South City Corporation, the public works ministry and Dhanmondi Club to remove all illegal structures and free the playground for the public, an order that has not been complied with till date.
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