DIPAN NANDY

Confusion has emerged over the identity of Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Memorial Park in Gulshan, Dhaka, after five new signboards reading “Gulshan Central Park and Sports Complex” were installed there.

Only one old signboard bearing the name “Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Memorial Park” remains, although the park has carried that name for four years.

The new signboards replaced those that previously displayed the name of Tajuddin Ahmad, the first prime minister of Bangladesh.

Dhaka North City Corporation says all formal procedures were followed five years ago when the park was named after the former prime minister and that the name remains unchanged.

According to the DNCC, no official renaming has taken place.

However, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha insists the park’s original name was Gulshan Central Park and that it remains under Rajuk’s ownership.

Rajuk handed the park over to DNCC for modernisation, but the authority maintains that its official name is still “Central Park”.

On May 8, Tajuddin Ahmad’s son and former state minister Sohel Taj wrote on Facebook, “The city corporation has decided to change the name of ‘Shaheed Tajuddin Memorial Park’ in Gulshan, named after Bangladesh’s first prime minister. I would now request the government to also change the name of Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Avenue in Tejgaon.”

He added, “After successfully leading the Liberation War and securing Bangladesh’s independence, Tajuddin Ahmad had said, ‘Let my name disappear; let Bangladesh live on.’”

SM Shafikur Rahman, convener of DNCC’s naming committee and chief urban planner, said DNCC renamed the park Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Memorial Park.

“But I have no information about any name change. I have not heard that the name has been altered. A park in Banani was renamed because it had previously been named after a member of Sheikh Hasina’s family. As far as I know, Tajuddin Park’s name has not been changed,” he said.

Sources said the park is owned by Rajuk, which later handed it over to DNCC for maintenance.

DNCC officially named the park after Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad in 2020.

The project, which developed the remaining portion of the 8.34-acre site after accounting for the five acres occupied by Gulshan Youth Club Limited, cost DNCC around Tk 8.5 crore.

The park was inaugurated on December 19, 2022, by the then DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam.

Rajuk Chairman Riazul Islam told The Daily Star, “There is no park officially named after Tajuddin Ahmad. The park belongs to Rajuk. Rajuk has signed an agreement with Gulshan Youth Club, and now they will manage the park. They may have removed the signboards. However, since Tajuddin Ahmad is a national figure, we may consider naming the park after him.”

A recent visit to the park found that five of the six signboards carrying Tajuddin Ahmad’s name had been removed.

The new signs state that the park is “Managed, Maintained and Operated by Gulshan Youth Club Limited”.

Gulshan Youth Club office secretary Mizanur Rahman said they installed the new signboards with Rajuk’s permission.

Meanwhile, the citizens’ platform “Movement for Reclaiming Fields, Parks and Water Bodies” has written to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, alleging that Rajuk violated government laws by handing over management to Gulshan Youth Club.

Ibrahim Khalil, member (public relations) of the organisation, said, “Gulshan Youth Club has started constructing new structures in violation of the approved master plan of the field and has announced fees for using the playground. As a result, ordinary children, teenagers and citizens are effectively losing free access to the field.”

In response, Mizanur said, “We are going to begin renovation work at the park, but no decision has yet been made regarding new structures. As for the issue of charging fees, certain services had already been subject to charges previously.”