DinNGii promises to keep the lake waters clean

Courtesy: dhanmondi lake project

Chief guest Kofiluddin Mahmud ,former advisor of the caretaker government inaugurated the boat club-cum-café. Former cabinet secretary Mahbubuzzaman and former secretary Karar Mahmudul Hasan were special guests.

"The boat club and café would give a new look to the lake waters and its environs," said DiNGii Chief Executive Saidul Alam after the inauguration, explaining that "boating will work in cleaning the water by removing the moss lair automatically through paddling."

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He added that the boat club and café added an exquisite spot of tourism for the city-dwellers who feel badly the need of recreation and entertainment.

DiNGii has been designed to provide public facilities to the city people as part of the Dhanmondi Lake and Lake Area Development Project, taken under the aegis of LGRD Ministry and Dhaka City Corporation (DCC).

Although some structures like open-air theatres, food corners and playgrounds for children have been designed at various points of the lake, Dingii took the first step in formally opening up these public facilities.

DiNGii is among the public facilities created to add an extra look to the Dhanmondi Lake in a planned way, said architect Mohammad Ehsan Khan, consultant and director of Vitti Sthapati Brinda, who designed the Dhanmondi Lake.

He said Vitti Sthapati Brinda designed the lake with such facilities keeping in mind urbanisation and city needs.

Chillis Chinese Restaurant and Monami have taken lease of the boat club and café initially providing 40 boats. Each of the boats will be hired for 45 minutes. Two trained swimmers and two motorised boats will be ready for emergencies and watchmen will keep vigilance. The boat club will remain open till 8pm but the café into 10 at night.

"For safety, we provide lifejackets," said CE Titu, pointing out that such boats are widely used around the USA.

The successful café businessman, Titu, told UNB that this centre would also be a tourist spot for conducting city tour for foreigners.

He said very soon another boat restaurant, with facilities of cultural programmes and oriental food for foreign tourists, would be inaugurated in another part of the lake.

Nongor, the second boat-and-café club, will be opened on the side of Dhanmondi 27 Road within a month or two.