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Park Rented Out For Urs

HC order defied

Staff Correspondent
The Public Works Department (PWD) in a violation of a High Court order and relevant laws has rented out the lone public park in the city's Farmgate to hold an extravagant religious congregation (Urs).
The PWD upon recommendation of the local executive engineer and the superintendent engineer has rented out Anwara Park for February 13-14 depriving local residents of a breathing space in a densely built up area in exchange ofTk 20,000 as rent.
The organisers of the Urs, however, virtually took over the entire park 10 days ago by fixing hundreds of bamboos to erect enormous marquees, four grand archways and a regal stage to deliver sermon to the devotees who are expected to turn up in thousands from the capital and elsewhere.
The entire area along with marquees and archways has been extravagantly illuminated for several days. Until yesterday, a total of 101 cows, 20 goats, 13 buffalos and 11 camels were seen lined up on Indira Road to be slaughtered for feast.
Shahsufi Hazrat Jakir Shah, Pir [a spiritual guru] of Kutub Bagh Darbar Sharif, is holding the Urs that begins today.
"This is the only open space in this neighbourhood and occupying it for two weeks will just deprive us of our breathing space," said Rahela Begum, an elderly
resident of nearby Indira Road.
Md Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan, PWD chief engineer, said: "We have rented out only the west end of the park, not the whole of it."
The laws on conservation of playground, park, open space and wetland categorically prohibit alteration, renting and leasing out of those spaces for uses other than what they are designated for.
Moreover, an HC bench in May 2003 issued a rule upon the government to ensure proper maintenance and protection of playgrounds and open spaces in line with the laws.
Asked about the laws, Bhuiyan said, "The local officials did not present the legal issue tome."
He said he had already instructed the local executive engineer and the superintending engineer to inform the police of the illegal occupancy of the park with two-day permission.
Asked why they had recommended for the permission, Superintending Engineer Abdul Momin Chowdhury said, "The Parliament Secretariat and Dhaka Metropolitan Police gave clearance to the Urs and we also considered the religious sentiment."
Rafiqul Islam, the then superintendent engineer in January 2012, said they would not rent out open public space anymore. Sehangal Biplob, a devotee and khdem [attendant] of the Pir, said they had to occupy the park 10 days prior to the Urs to complete the preparatory work like erecting temporary structure, decoration and electric wiring.
On the opulent illumination and decoration, Biplob said, "This is aimed at expressing joy and merriment of the devotees, as you find it in any celebration like wedding and archways are an integral part of any celebration.”
The devotees bore the expenses, he said, adding that many high-profile people, like former military dictator HM Ershad were devotees of the Pir. Local lawmaker and State Minister for Home Affairs Asduzaman Kamal Khan, among other big shots, are expected to attend the Urs.
Thousands of devotees would stay overnight in the marquees and the Pir, styled as Khaza Baba Kutub Bagi, is scheduled to address the congregation in the early hours today.