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Protect Dhanmondi playground

Environmentalists urge govt

Staff Correspondent
The government must stop any move to occupy Dhanmondi playground by a limited company to serve commercial and exclusive purposes, said leading environmentalist groups at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity yesterday.
Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), Institute of Architects Bangladesh (LAB) and Dhanmondi Paribesh Unnayan Jote jointly organised the event to protest a reported move by Lt Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Limited to build a mini-stadium and exclusive recreational facilities occupying the playground.
They demanded that the authorities must also exact immediately the existing illegal structures from the playground, by Dhanmondi Road No-8, to keep it as an open sports facility for the residential neighbourhood and hand it over to the community management.
Dhanmondi Club was converted into a limited company on August 20 comprising of powerful businessmen and named after the incumbent prime minister's brother Sheikh Jamal, who was killed along with his family members on August 15 in 1975.
The club is planning to build a stadium at the playground, develop exclusive recreational facilities and use it commercially, said Sharif Jamil, member secretary' of Bapa sub-committee on grounds and parks programme.
“The club intends to occupy almost half of the playground to build a structure and develop various exclusive facilities, as per a draft design," said Bapa General Secretary' Dr Abdul Matin.
IAB President Mubasshar Hussein, also a sports organiser, said, "The businessmen involved with the club belong to the country's wealthiest class and can buy space anywhere to build a stadium and exclusive recreational facilities.”
A certain quarter is duping the prime minister into giving her consent to an illegal act using her late brother’s name, said Mubasshar, adding that the Wetland and Playground Protection Act-2000 was formulated during the first tenure of the present prime minister.
Bapa President Prof Muzaffer Ahmad said. “The playground is a common property of Dhanmondi residents with their fundamental rights on it and there is no scope to use it in commercial and exclusive manner."
The businessmen on the club's governing body include Basundhara Group Chairman Shah Alam, Nitol Group Chairman Motlub Ahmed, son of Partex Group Chairman MA Hashem and Rupayan Real Estate and Housing Managing Director Sadat Hossain Salim, club's top official said earlier.
The High Court on April 24, following a writ petition filed jointly by Bapa and IAB in 2004, issued a rule nisi upon Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) not to use die playground for any purposes other than sports.
The litigants are now planning to revive the case.
Dhanmondi Paribesh Unnayan Jote Coconvenor Architect Salma Shafi and Bapa Subcommittee on Grounds and Parks Programme Convener Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu also spoke at the press conference.