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Bus company takes over open spaces in New Colony

At least 40 buses of ATCL are illegally parked at the New Colony everyday

SOHEL ISLAM
Some open spaces at Lalmatia's New Colony have been turned into a parking facility for buses of the ATCL Company.
At least 40 buses of ATCL are illegally parked at the New Colony everyday, making the residential area's atmosphere similar to any bus
stoppage of the city.
"After dusk, this place becomes a den for the bus drivers, conductors and helpers. Their lack of education, taste and decency is evident from their conversations and their foulmouth jibes are embarrassing enough for local residents and passersby.
'These people chat well into midnight as many of them sleep inside the buses. Their presence has had a
seriously adverse impact on the environment of the place," said Sujon, who lives in New Colony.
"The ATCL could have kept their buses elsewhere. I don't understand why they had to spoil the environment of a residential area. Five months ago, the illegal parking was widely reported in different newspapers but nothing substantial has been done so far," said Kamal Uddin, president of
New Colony Housing Association.
"Incidentally, the number of buses have rather increased after the reports. Earlier, they used to keep 1012 buses. Now, there are at least 40," added Kamal Uddin.
When contacted, manager of the ATCL Bus Company Liton claimed that they were not violating law.
"Our buses are parked on our own land. Besides, the allegation of spoil-
ing the environment is totally baseless."
The Department of Housing had allotted 1.4 bighas of land near New Colony to one Bachchu Mia, who is the main owner of the ATCL, and eleven others under the rehabilitation programme for stranded Pakistanis (Biharis) a few years ago. Later, in an investigation, the Department found that none of those twelve were Biharis. Based on the findings, the land allocation was cancelled in 2002.
But Liton tried to justify the illegitimacy of the parking: "Our owner Bachchu Mia filed a lawsuit in the High Court (HC) against cancellation of the allotment of the plots. As the matter is in court, so we have every right to park the buses there."
Despite repeated attempts, the chairman of the Department of Housing could not be reached for his comments. However, one of the officials of the Department's Dhanmondi office, preferring anonymity, said that the parking of the ATCL buses was totally illegal.
"I don't want to comment on the case pending with the HC. But there's no way they can park their vehicles there. Our hands are tied as Bachchu Mia is a very influential person. Our lives could be threatened if we go for any action," said the official.
Meanwhile, the fate of New Colony's playground still lies with the court. The housing department of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works had planned to build flats on the western side of the ground for selling them to government officials and employees but their work stopped when environmentalists and concerned citizens contested the decision in court.
A big pile of earth is now lying in the middle of the playground. The western side of the ground was dug up and that has left just a small patch of land on the eastern side available for games and sports and recreation of the New Colony residents.