Swadhinata Park opens on Eid day

The theme perk titled 'Swadhinata Park”, an assemblage of replicas and structures on historical and cultural heritages of the country, will open in Kalurghat area on the Eid day.Photo: STAR

After long eight months, the theme park popularly known as “Mini Bangladesh” opens to public with a changed name of “Swadhinata Park” under Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) on the Eid day.
An assemblage of replicas and structures on historical and cultural heritages of the country, the theme park was set up on 13.5 acres of land in the city's Kalurghat area under Chandgaon police station at a cost of Tk 188 crore.
It was inaugurated on August 29 in 2006 and opened to public as “Zia Smriti Complex” on September 7 the same year.
Concord Entertainment Company got the contract to run the park with replicas and artificially created environments portraying lifestyles of the people, including different tribes and races.
The park was closed as extended tenure of the contract Concord Entertainment signed with the Ministry for Liberation War Affairs expired on January 4 this year and 80 employees, out of 87, of the park resigned en masse.
CCC won the tender floated in April as the highest bidder offering annual revenue of Tk 1.65 crore to run the park for five years, said the sources in CCC.
CCC signed a contract on April 10 in this regard and took possession of the park within the next ten days, they said.
As per the contract, CCC has paid Tk 41.25 lakh of the annual revenue to be paid in four installments, said city corporation Chief Estate Officer Ahmedul Haq.
The contract is to be renewed every year with a three percent increase in the annual revenue, he added.
Sources said immediate after signing of the contract, CCC started beautification activities and works for increasing facility arrangements of the park.
A seven-member management committee has been formed with local councillor Mahbubul Alam as its coordinator to run the park and CCC Chief Town Planner Rezaul Karim was made the project director, said the sources.
“The beautification and works for increasing facility arrangements are now nearing a completion and we hope to open the park on the Eid day,” said Mayor Manjur Alam.
“Entry fee has been fixed at Tk 50 per head. However, on the Eid day every one would have access to the park free of cost,” said the mayor while talking to The Daily Star on Sunday.
“However, the rides would go for test runs now and would be open to the visitors after fees are fixed later,” he said.
The monuments in the park include Jatiya Smriti Saudha and Central Shaheed Minar, historical structures -- Jatiya Sangsad, Ahsan Manjil, Mohasthangar, Paharpur Bouddha Bihar, Chhoto Sona Masjid of Rajshahi, Chhoto Kuthi, Boro Kuthi, Lalbagh Kella, Saint Nicolas Church, Kantazir Mandir of Dinajpur, Curzon Hall and the Supreme Court.
Sources said the replicas perfectly resemble the original structure or monument they represent.
The rides include magic swing, bumper car, family coaster, balloon wheel, bumper boat, pedal boat and the monorail.
Besides, there are models of traditional village, tribal village, library, information centre and restaurant.
The traditional and tribal villages will offer a rural taste to visitors, particularly those from the urban areas. They will also create a scope for the new generations to be introduced to the lifestyle and the customs of rural people, said the sources.
A mobile restaurant on an eye-catching 71-meter tower is also there as before for the visitors to enjoy the view of the Chittagong city. It has been set up on a 14-metre steel plate.
The restaurant along with the customers will move slowly and take 90 minutes to complete a single round centring the tower, sources said.