Only days ago, the Shaheed Haji Abdul Alim playing field in Dhakeshwari was an abandoned patch; there was garbage and dirt all around it and illegal parking covered most of the land. The park was a regular haunt for addicts and reprobates.
The present situation is totally different – the field is a vast area of green. At a cost of Tk 81 million, the field was modernized by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).
The work beginning in 2017, has been completed recently and the field is now a world class playing area.
It is surrounded by a green net, local youths play on the ground while people walk around the arena and locals congregate for late afternoon chats.
There is a two-storied building at one corner of the field, which houses a gym, library and a coffee house. Cleaners work round the clock to keep the area pristine.
City corporation says that under the DSCC’s ‘Dhaka filled with water and greenery’, development of 31 playing fields is underway.
The redevelopment of the Dhakeshwari field was launched by DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon in 2017. The field also has practice space for net cricket, football, a 250 metre walkway, children’s corner, gymnasium, modern toilet, cafeteria, library, water filter, free wi-fi, CC camera, dustbins, fruit trees and arrangement to hold Eid prayers.
The specialty of the park is that water will not accumulate in case of heavy rainfall; there is a reservoir which holds 550,000 tonnes of water. At night the park will be illuminated.
Locals are happy with the park and say that such a facility was acutely needed.
Local councillor Hasibur Rahman Manik said: “Once there was an illegal truck stand here and the area was frequented by undesirables. General people shunned the field and now it’s a world class park.”
Mayor Khokon says: “There is a dearth of open space in old Dhaka; I began the green Dhaka project after taking office; we have already completed similar work on several fields.”