Playground and politics

IN a new twist to the long protracted saga of opening the Dhanmondi Playground for all comers, Sheikh Jamal Football Club (which had been occupying the ground illegally for the last few years) has filed cases against 35 unidentified for vandalism. Even after green activists condemned the attack and demanded punishment for the perpetrators, police kept up the pressure by rearresting activist Ishtiaque Ahmed just four hours after his release. One must condemn the nature of foul-play surrounding this issue as it stands to unnecessarily politicize a matter of the civil society.    
The green activists have alleged that a group with a vested interest have been plotting against the green activists and many anti-government banners were hung after the playground premises had been vandalized. Slogans that called the current Sheikh Hasina led government illegal add nothing to the cause of freeing the playground from Sheikh Jamal Football Club. It falls in tow with the deplorably opportunistic culture of politics in the country, where any and all chance of besmirching a party is taken up with both hands. That the matter of the illegal occupation of a playground is linked back to the Awami League and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's family is a shameful act which must be condemned.
At the same time, law enforcement authorities must also act in an unbiased and fair manner. After green activist Ishtiaque Ahmed's release, he was arrested once more and quoted the duty officer as saying that “the highest level in the government has expressed their anger over your release”. Although the police later denied making such claims, it raises questions on whether this is becoming embroiled in dirty politics from all factions involved.
The facts of the matter are simple: a playground was being illegally occupied and Dhaka South City Corporation opened it to the public on the April 24. And though campaigns have been on-going to ensure open access, politics is being dragged into it by some vested quarter. It is ill-motivated and will only lead to hurting the sentiments of the Bangabandhu family and everyone affiliated with them. Therefore, banners and festoons that proclaim such messages must be removed at once and the perpetrators should be identified and punished accordingly. It should in no way hamper the availability of the grounds to the general public. One must be careful in separating matters of the civil society from ones that are manipulated to aid political agendas, the controversy surrounding the Dhanmondi playground must be nipped in the bud before it has the chance to fester and escalate into a situation that will be detrimental to the people.

The writer is Editorial Assistant, The Daily Star.