Sayedabad Park
Now only a history
Used by construction workers of Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover
Is It Sayedabad Park?Photo: STAR
Residents of Sayedabad area are living without a proper children's park, as Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) did not pay any heed to maintain the present one over the years. The condition of the park, built in the area in the 80s, began to deteriorate since the 90s and worsened during the last 10 years, said local people. The 0.7-acre park was used as a spot for waste disposal and as a parking lot and now has two public toilets, constructed in the 90s. Bus owners of Sayedabad bus terminal used a third of the park to keep their vehicles while waste was dumped on the rest, led by negligence on the part of DCC, they said. Some shops and another toilet were also erected on the park adjacent to Jatrabari-Tikatuli Road but were demolished during the last interim government. The park, for the last three months, is being used to house labourers constructing Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover. Salman Karim, managing director of Orion Group, the firm constructing the flyover, said they have been using the place as per contract with DCC. “We will restore the place as a full-fledged park by setting different playground equipment just after the flyover is complete and hand it over to DCC,” he said. Md Dulal, residing at Sayedabad area for the last 30 years, said the park was constructed during the regime of HM Ershad. Over 50,000 residents of Uttar Sayedabad, Dakkhin Sayedabad used to benefit from the park, having benches and playground equipment for children, he said. “My daughter is growing up like a mentally challenged person due to lack of recreation facilities. My younger brother always went to play at the park, which now seems impossible,” he said. Mirazul Islam, a class six student residing in Janapath Square, said they now play football and cricket on the yard in front of their house as there is no scope to play anywhere in the area. Mohammad Kabir Miyan, a resident of Koratitola, said he came to the area in 1986 when he was 17 and used to play at the park during that time. But his eight-year-old daughter Lamia Kabir has no scope to enjoy the amenities he used to get, he added. He said an influential quarter tried to occupy the land several times but failed. Kabir said there was another park at Swamibagh where now Wonderland Shishumela is running. As tickets need to be bought to enter the place, it is difficult to regularly use the park, he said. DCC Chief Estate Officer Mohammad Moshiar Rahman said they allowed the construction firm to place their sheds and would renovate it back to a park after completion of the flyover.
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