DOT Desk: Local influential persons have grabbed a large portion of Dhupkhola Math in Gendaria, depriving children of sporting entertainment, reports The Daily Sun.
The sprawling open space has been turned into a parking lot of trucks, rickshaws, human hauliers and other vehicles in connivance of the officials of Dhaka South City Corporation and local administration, many alleged.
Vendors have been running temporary and permanent shops in the park for a long time without any problem from any side.
As a result of the mindless grabbing by influentials and musclemen, locals said the children of the area have been
denied of their rights to play and enjoy physical exercise.
Some ruling musclemen built a clubhouse at a corner of the field from where all the business is controlled, locals alleged.
According to locals, Dhupkhola Math is divided into three parts—one belongs to East-End Club, another to Jagannath University, and DSCC.
During a recent visit to the park, the correspondent found that a major portion of the field has been grabbed by transport owners.
Besides, in the gallery of the playground, local party offices of Jatiya Party and Awami offices are running since 2014.
Talking to the correspondent, a local resident wishing anonymity said, for last 5-6 months, a large portion of the playground is being used as a truck stand.
Some drug addicts were seen taking drugs in a corner of the park in the broad daylight.
Locals said the playground now is controlled by the local Jatiya Party and Awami League leaders.
They also said many journalists came and went but things never change as the playground is controlled by local ruling party and Jatiya party musclemen loyal to local lawmaker Kazi Firoz Rashid.
Local Secha Sebok League general secretary Anisur Rahman, one Jakku and Biplob and others are in the front to control and doing business using the only the only space of the area to play and take fresh breathe.
Mohammad Samsul Hoque, zone-5 executive officer of DSCC, said they drove out the illegal grabbers many times but they kept encroaching the playground over and over again.
“I will visit the spot in a day or two. I will remove the grabbers,” he said, adding that the offices of the political parties will be removed if those are found to have been built illegally.
Talking to the correspondent, DSCC chief estate officer Md Asaduzzaman said, “I was not aware of the grabbing of Dhupkhola Math. We will take action after investigating the issue.”