Struggling to survive
Once Dhaka was adorned with several hundred ponds. Like canals, only a handful exist now. But they are also in death throes due to negligence of the authorities concerned. Although, according to the Playground, Open Space, Park and Natural Water Body Protection Act 2000, filling up of any water body including pond is illegal, it's going on unabated. The Daily Star found 63 ponds in the maps of undivided Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) in its 28 wards out of 90. A survey for the map was carried out between 2003 and 2011. But many of the water bodies were filled up before the period and also even after the survey. We are publishing the twentieth report of the series today covering the then DCC ward 30 and 36.
There used to be three ponds in the capital's Shantinagar area. Two of them are still alive while the other one was filled up to make way for a multi-storey building.
BALURMATH POND
The privately-owned pond was used by many of the locals. But over the years, portions of it have been filled up. Surrounded by buildings, only a small part of it remains alive.
Aiub Ali, a resident of the area, said it used to be a huge waterbody even around two decades ago.
Naznin Habib-uz-Zaman, owner of the remaining 2.25-katha pond, said the reservoir was there since the Pakistan period.
“It was purchased under the name of my mother-in-law. She looked after the pond and enjoyed spending time beside it. After her death, the pond was divided among the family members, who sold it afterwards.”
“I want to protect it,” said Naznin. “But many of the residents from the nearby buildings continue to throw waste in it.”
She said though she cleans the reservoir regularly, it gets dirty again due to the dumping of garbage.
“Once after cleaning the pond, I was admitted to a hospital as I became sick. I stayed there for almost three months. When I returned home, I found the pond dirty again,” she sighed. “I have spent so much time and money to keep the pond alive.”
She said she had also set up a boundary wall so that people living nearby the reservoir cannot throw waste in it. “I also used netting over the pond for its protection.”
“As long as I'm alive, I will not allow anybody to fill it up,” said Naznin.
POND AT PEER SAHEBER BARI
A major portion of the pond located at Peer Saheber Bari (house) on Peer Saheber Goli (lane) has been filled up for constructing a building.
The remaining portion, however, is being used as a swimming pool by the family members.
Manjur Ahmed Babul, khadem of Peer Saheber Bari, said the pond is there since the British period. “Peer Maulana Abdul Gafur purchased the land along with the pond in 1950,” he said.
Maulana Gafur took great care of the pond. He also instructed his son not to fill it up, he added. “We clean it on a regular basis.”
POND AT EASTERN PEACE
According to locals, there used to be a pond at Peer Saheber Goli around 20 years back. The privately-owned reservoir was filled up by its owner in 1999 to construct a multi-storey building -- Eastern Peace.
Kazi Mohammad Jalal Uddin, a resident of the area, said there were three ponds on the lane. “Many used to bathe in those,” he said.
Sunil Kumar Roy, executive project manager of Eastern Housing, said an eight-storey building was constructed after filling up the reservoir. “The pond's water became polluted. It looked like an abandoned waterbody.”
He said the project area was around one bigha of which the pond was around six kathas.
POND AT GULISTAN PARK
The pond inside the Gulistan Park (now Matiur Rahman Park) is around 1.25 acres and it is surrounded by trees. It also has two ghats.
But the quality of its water is deteriorating due to a lack of proper maintenance.
Mohammed Sumon, a rickshaw-van puller, said every day around 500 people bathe in it.
Mohammad Fazlul Haque, a gardener of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), said the pond is there since the British period. It is now being maintained by the DSCC.
He alleged that the vendors and vagabonds are ruining the pond.
Shrinking fast
Once Maniknagar area in the capital was peppered with canals, marshlands and ponds. But most of the water bodies have fallen victim to urban sprawl after the 80s.
Now all that remains is a lone pond in the area, which has also shrunk alarmingly due to encroachment over the years.
According to locals, a mosque committee, in-charge of the pond, have allegedly constructed a market around it after filling up a portion.
The condition of the reservoir, situated beside Maniknagar Kendrio Jam-e Masjid, is also deplorable.
Abdul Kader Bhuiyan, a resident of Maniknagar, said people from other neighbourhoods also used to throng the pond for bathing or swimming. “The number is very low now due to its condition.”
There were two ghats (landing spots) in it. Now, only one exists on the southern side, he added.
Mohammad Hasan, khadem (caretaker) of the mosque, said the pond is there since the Pakistan period.
ABM Zakaria Alamgir, mutawalli (trustee) of the mosque, said they have a plan to restore the pond. “At present, we have a fund crisis for which we cannot pay attention to it,” he added.
The mosque committee constructed some makeshift shops around two years back and a market around six months back filling up some portions of the reservoir to generate income for the mosque, he said.
“We have a plan to renovate the mosque building and after doing so we'll take necessary steps to renovate the reservoir.”
He said the size of the pond is around 2 bighas.
(Edited by HASAN MEER)