Staff Correspondent

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam called upon the residents of the capital to protest against the move to make a multistoried shopping mall in the place of a playground in Farmgate.

He made the call while speaking in a discussion on World Urban Planning Day organised by Bangladesh Institute of Planners’ at its Banglamotor office on Saturday.

Atiqul Islam said, “A space for a playground at Farmgate area in the capital is now being used as a temporary office for the metro rail construction project. A proposal has been made to construct a multi- storied building at the end of the construction work on the space. I think every citizen should protest the move and be vocal in preserving the space for the playground.”

Dhaka Mass Transit Company (DMTCL), a state-owned company, responsible for construction and operation of metro rail, has planned to construct commercial enterprises such as shops, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment centres in the lone park in Farmgate area named Anwara Udyan.

The company took over the park for the use of a project office from DNCC in 2018. DMTCL officials now say they want to construct a station plaza on the park ground to increase its income.

He said the prime minister herself is not willing to reshape any playground as housing or for any commercial use.

DNCC Mayor also said, “During the inauguration ceremony of Kalshi Flyover, the prime minister clearly announced that there would be no housing project on Balur Math, it will be a playground for children. But it is a matter of sorrow that the reflection of the announcement is yet to be visible.”

He also said, “We wanted to know what the city residents want. We came to know that they want canals, waterways transport, fish farming, cycle lanes and walkways beside the canals. We have conducted a survey through Unicef and we have found that owners of 90 percent of buildings in Baridhara , an upscale area, don’t have any system for treating human waste. The waste is going to the Baridhara Lake directly from the buildings and polluting water. There are a huge number of citizens in Dhaka, but good citizens are rare.”