Cars become more important than people

How many parks does Dhaka city need? According to rules, it should be 92, one for each ward. But we have only 54, with several of them having ceased to exist and many threatened. At least 10 parks have been replaced with a community centre, kitchen market, mosque, rickshaw garage or truck parking lot, mostly by the city corporation itself. This is the picture when an urban expert, Prof Nazrul Islam, says every 10,000 city residents need an open space of four acres -- park or playground -- for healthy development of children and prevention of diseases related to physical activities. The Daily Star reports how and why we are squeezing our breathing spaces in our metropolis where 15 million people cram in. The 11th report of the series is published today.

Rows of microbuses and cars are now seen parked on what used to be a place where large gatherings were held and children ran about. Since the time of the Pakistani rule, Muktangan Park, on the western side of the General Post Office, had been a source of fresh air for people in the area who could take walks and exercise there.       

However, now the 0.835 acre of land is used to run car rental businesses.  

In the 1980s, during the tenure of HM Ershad, the land was used for gatherings and rallies, said sources at the city corporation. Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) had handed over the park to the city corporation back then.

After Ershad's fall in 1990, car rental business owners grabbed the area and parked their vehicles there depriving different socio-political organisations and residents of the park.

The park gradually began losing its identity as over time, a concrete structure, housing an office of Dhaka Microbus Car Owners' Association and an aquarium shop, was built on the park. Some tin-roof structures and makeshift tea stalls were also set up.

In 1998, a semi-concrete mosque, Muktangan Jam-e-Masjid, and a public toilet were also built on the piece of land. The mosque is run under the management of the association.

Moreover, due to a lack of care and management, the park land is in a horrible state.

The microbus owners and workers were evicted several times before, but they keep coming back, said an official at the estate department of the city corporation.

Meher Hossain Khan, general secretary of Dhaka Microbus Car Owners' Association, said they want a parking space for their vehicles.

"We do not want to stay here illegally. They have evicted us many times and this hurts our business, however, we have no choice but to come back," he said. 

He said they keep around 60 microbuses parked on the piece of land. 

Rahman, a vendor of Gulistan who lived in the area in the 1960s, said children used to play in the park, while the elderly sat under trees and chatted about their daily lives, but this is not the case anymore.

Newly elected Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation Sayeed Khokon said they would take necessary steps to free the park after visiting it soon.