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Public meetings in city

DCC to consider suggestions for new sites: Hanif

By Morshed Ali Khan
Dhaka City Corporation will consider suggestions from political parties for new sites, other than public thoroughfares, to hold public meetings in the city. Mayor Mohammad Hanif said last night.
"If any party comes with a suggestion that it wants a particular place to hold public meetings we will accept it providing it is not a public thoroughfare." he said.
The Mayor said public suffering was mounting due to
haphazard holding of meetings on the city roads. 'We have designated the traditional Paltan Maidan for holding meetings and. if necessary, we will designate other open spaces but not the roads of the city." he said talking to The Daily Star last night.
He said he would even consider designating the National Eidgah for holding of public meetings. "But there the problem is the proceedings in the courts might be disturbed due to loudspeakers." he said.
He said President Shahabu-ddin Ahmed had expressed his satisfaction after visiting the designated sites and asked him to hold fresh meetings with the political parties.
Meanwhile, Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) is preparing detailed reports on the exact size and capacity of the seven sites designated for holding public meetings in the city, official sources said.
The reports were being prepared to present during Mayor Mohammad Hanifs talks with city unit leaders of different political parties scheduled for Saturday. The Estate Department of the DCC. responsible for authorising public meetings in the city, was preparing the reports.
DCC sources said, among the seven sites. Agargaon Parade Ground would be the largest with 6.4 lakh audience capacity. We first measured the venue then determined the capacity by allocating three square feet for each Individual." said a DCC official.
When asked why the calculation was not done before the first meeting held on August 31. the official replied that none from the Estate Department was invited on that occasion. The Estate Department's opinion was not sought before the August 31 meeting, he said.
Another DCc; source said none of the authorities presently In possession of four sites were consulted by the DCC before taking the decision. Only three of the seven sites. Golap-bagh, Bashabo and Dhakeswari fields belonged to DCC. he said.
Following reports of protests from those authorises, tne DCC has written to LGRD Ministry to formally ask PWD. Defence. Sports and Education ministries to hand over the land for
holding public meetings.
President Shahabuddin Ahmed has visited three of the seven sites over the last few days to see for himself how suitable they were for holding Eblic meetings. He also asked yor Hanif to sit with the representatives of the political parties again and reach a consensus. Sources said Mayor Hanif has postponed a personal foreign trip to attend to the issue.
Officials of Zaker Party yesterday were seen obtaining permission from the DCC to hold two public meetings in the designated areas. The party will hold one meeting at the Dhakeswari Field on September 29 and the other on October 1 at the Outer Stadium.