BCL resorts to vandalism in Ctg amusement park

Creates panic among visitors

3 May 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent, Ctg

A group of local youths under the banner of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) has been creating obstacles to the activities of Concord Amusement Park at Foy's Lake in the port city for the last two weeks. They reportedly went on a rampage and vandalised the park after the park authorities refused to meet their demand for courtesy tickets ahead of the opening of new chalets at the park resort on April 14. During an open-air concert at the park on Friday last, the youths prevented the visitors from getting inside and were locked in a clash with the police, leaving at least ten people injured. On Monday, they along with some retrenched employees of the park also staged a sit-in and locked the main gate of the park. During the demonstration, they also assaulted some staffs and officials of the park, sources said. The Concord Entertain-ment Company Limited set up the park under a Tk 300 crore project to turn it into one of the prime tourist destinations in South Asia, but the recent vandalism by the youths in the name of BCL have created panic among the visitors. The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) sent an urgent faxed message to the home ministry on Thursday, urging immediate steps to prevent vested quarters from extorting toll, resorting to vandalism and exerting illegal influence using the name of the ruling party. It also called for ensuring security of the park and the visitors coming from home and abroad. In the faxed message, CCCI President MA Latif, also a lawmaker of the ruling Awami League, said that a vested quarter backed by a few party leaders has resorted to anarchy and anti-entrepre-neurship. They locked the park and held the officials and staffs hostage to gain favour and realise undue facilities. But being refused, this vested quarter is now creating an anarchic situation at the park, he said and termed their activities a plot to grab the amusement park and establish a reign of extortion there. CCCI President MA Latif also strongly criticised an advertisement published in the name of Chittagong City Corporation in support of the allegations made by the youths who are resorting to vandalism in the park. He termed the advertisement provocative and said it was aimed at tarnishing the image of a firm, thereby undermining the government's efforts to create a business- and industry-friendly environment. MA Latif said the business community as well as the peace-loving people of Chittagong would extend support to the government's stern action against such vested quarters, who are out to tarnish the image of the democratic government. The youths alleged that the park authorities are destroying the environment and creating opportunity for anti-social activities. Refuting the allegations, the park authorities said they were rather enhancing the natural beauty of the area through tree plantation. The youths were hampering the activities of the park by resorting to vandalism and staging demonstrations demanding courtesy tickets and reinstatement of some nine employees who had been sacked for theft and misbehaviour with the visitors, they said.