Development plan stalled for two years
The development plan of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) for Shaheed Matiur Park in Gulistan has been stalled for nearly two years.
Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury, who heads a high-level advisory committee on DCC's park development, said that they have sought Bangabhaban's opinion about the plan as the President's House is in the close vicinity of the park.
"We wrote to the Bangabhaban authorities more than a year back seeking their opinion," said Prof Chowdhury. “However, we are yet to get any response.”
The committee at a meeting on January 14 decided to write to Bangabhaban again.
Chief Town Planner of DCC Sirajul Islam said they would place the development plan of the Shaheed Matiur Park, formerly known as Gulistan Park, to Bangabhaban. "We will seek direction and opinion from the president's secretariat."
He said that their plan is to spare some space of the park's western side to widen the nearby road and close the road across the park to bring entire park area and all the establishments there under single management.
"We have prepared an architectural layout design with the help of a Buet expert for development of the park but the design is yet to be approved by DCC technical committee," he said. A detailed design will be prepared later.
Development scope and cost will be estimated on the basis of the final design.
As per recommendation by the advisory committee, a letter was sent to the president on April 27, 2006, seeking his permission to open the road on the western side of Bangabhaban and close the road across the park, said the DCC officials.
Authorities built a road dividing the park during the first Saarc Summit held in Dhaka in 1985 and closed the road on the western side of Bangabhaban.
The Dhaka City Corporation, responsible for maintenance of the park, constructed an auditorium 'Mahanagar Natyamancha' on a large portion of the 3.5-acre park. Sergeant Ahad Police Box and a mosque were constructed later shrinking the parkland further.
The park has long been in a pitiable condition in absence of maintenance, infested with vagabonds, drug peddlers and sex workers. The lights remain off and sheds broken.
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