The English Road Park of the capital, which was made for children’s recreation, is now used for dumping garbage as well as a truck garage.
It is impossible for anyone who never visited the spot to imagine that once it was a children park as no amenities and park installments are left there.
One part of the park is now used for dumping wastes from the surrounding areas while another part is used for parking trucks and vans.
In front of the English Road Park there is a Dhaka South City Corporation newspaper selling centre and Fazlul Karim Community Centre.
Provash, a salesman of Nirmal Gold House of the English Road, has told New Age that for last few years local people have chosen the park as a place for dumping wastes.
He lamented that the place was once full of greeneries where people from the neighbourhood used to enjoy their leisure.
About five years ago people started dumping rubbles in the park land and since then a big portion of the park is seen occupied by a huge pile of rubbish, said Provash.
Abdul Kuddus, an employee of Tanjeem Steel, which is situated near the park, said before the dumping of wastes began, one part of the English Road Park was being used for parking trucks and vans for several years.
He said in 1980s, cradles, slippers and seesaws were set up in the park for children’s amusements but they are now all destroyed.
Kuddus lamented that the park was once a major attraction for children of the areas and elderly people used to walk in the park in the evening.
Now, at night, the park area turns into a heaven for drug addicts and floating people, he added.
Dhaka South City Corporation officials, seeking anonymity, said before dumping of wastes, a private firm ‘Heritage’ sought approval from the DSCC for beautification of the park, but the company worked only on a small part of it.
Another official said the Heritage group was still ready to beautify the remaining part of the park but the DSCC did not provide necessary financial help in this regard.
He added that it required huge money for renovation of the park.
Dhaka South City Corporation chief town planner Sirajul Haque told New Age that few months ago the revenue department issued a work order for beatification of the park.
DSCC estate officer Shamsul Alam said that though engineering section was responsible for maintenance and development of the park, which has almost ruined.
Courtesy of New Age
