<i>A public park turns 'off limits' to visitors</i>

Panthokunja Park opposite Hotel Sonargaon gives a deserted look.Photo: STAR

Panthokunjo, the lone public park in the vicinity of Karwan Bazar intersection, has been practically off limits to city dwellers for years now since the authorities have been playing with park hours as they please.
The steel gates of the park remain closed throughout the day, only to be opened for a short period in the afternoon before it is closed again before the evening, said security guards on duty.
Panthokunjo Park, the solitary public park that could serve residents of Kanthalbagan, Bangla Motor, Hatirpool, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar and adjacent areas, is a glowing example of indifferent attitude of the authorities, said locals.
Local residents including hundreds of children, desperately seeking some breathing space, are compelled to go to Ramna Park since the Panthokunjo Park stays closed throughout the day.
The park was off limits to visitors during years of renovation and beautification work under Dhaka City Beautification Project. But even after the completion of 'renovation' work, city residents are still being deprived of enjoying fresh air at the park since it is kept closed most of the time, they added.
"I used to go there (Panthokunjo Park) for morning walks, but had to switch to Ramna Park as it (Panthokunjo Park) is never open during the early mornings. Later on, I had to discontinue my whole routine of morning walks as Ramna Park is quite far from my house," said Ashraful Alam from Kanthalbagan.
"What is the use of having a park near the neighbourhood if you cannot use it for recreation?" added an irritated Alam.
When this correspondent tried to enter the park on Wednesday morning last week at 10am, security personnel on duty said that entry to the park during that period of the day was prohibited. They, however, could not give any satisfactory answer to when the park is open to the general public.
Jahangir, caretaker of Panthokunjo Plaza -- a section of the Panthokunjo Park -- told this correspondent that the park is opened for all from 5pm to 7pm.
"What would people do in the park during day time with all the sun? They have other jobs to attend to," Jahangir rationalised when asked why the park is kept closed during most part of the day.
When contacted, Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) officials said that they were unaware of the situation. They, however, assured that proper measures would be taken to keep the park open to general public.
"The park was leased out to a private company for beautification, but under no circumstances, they are authorised to keep the park closed to the general public," said a top official concerned at Beautification Cell of DCC requesting anonymity.
"Beautifying the park does not mean that it has to be completely closed to public," he added.
According to DCC sources, the park was leased out to a private firm named Arkay Group for renovation and beautification under a citywide beautification project in 2004.
Local residents do not believe that the present arrangement with the private firm will ever be beneficial to city residents and they demanded a permanent solution to the issue.
The park has been like this for years now. It remains closed most of the time. It is open to public for a few days and then it closes again for some type of work, said Shihab Hasan from Bangla Motor.
Cut off from visitors, signs of poor maintenance were seen all over the park. The park ground was found littered with piles of garbage where grasses grew about a foot high.
The walkways surrounding the park are even worse, where a sign glares at passers-by announcing that the walkways cannot be used for any other purpose but for walking. However, filth and stench scattered there, most likely faeces, suggest that those are used for anything else but walking.
Besides, numerous irregularities including missing or damaged slabs over underground sewerage pits, overpowering stench of urine and faeces with homeless and drifters loitering freely inside the park portray how well the park is being maintained.