‘We want the playground to stay, everyone does’

Everyone wants the playground, not a police station, said one of the children living in the surrounding areas of Tentultala field where Kalabagan police station is being constructed now.

Residents of the area started protesting the move to build a police station on the only field in the locality.

Following widespread protests Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Monday directed the Dhaka South City Corporation to stop construction until further notice, but the construction continued even on Tuesday.

Lakecircus Girls' School student Ayesha Siddique said, "We play here every afternoon. If a police station is constructed, we will have to play on the streets which could cause accidents. The police are saying that no one wants a playground here but it's the opposite. We want the playground to stay, everyone does."

"Ratna aunty [Syeda Ratna, one of the leading activists of the 'Save Tentultala Playground' movement] is also unable to come here to protest as she signed a bond to not 'obstruct government works'. However, 12 organisations are now protesting to save the playground", she added.

Another resident of the area Zarif Hasan said, "I saw on TV that Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has directed to build the police station elsewhere and if no other location is found then decision will be taken after discussion. However, the police have not stopped their construction work."

"They [police] have also wrecked my grandfather's shop in the dead of the night. Now what will my grandfather do at this old age?" lamented Zarif.

Another youth Rayhan said, "We have played on this playground since our childhood. Many football, cricket and badminton tournaments take place here. Also, Eid jamaat as well as many social gatherings take place here. So, there will be many problems if the police station is built on this playground."

One of the pioneers of the 'Save Tentultala Playground' movement, Syeda Ratna, on Monday said, "Yesterday, I was detained along with my son. But I don't want to complain about it. I will forget everything as soon as I get the field."

On Tuesday, she said that she still has hope that they will get the playground as Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had directed the same on Monday.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Monday said, "I told the mayor, I told everyone to find an alternative. If that is not possible, it is also necessary to build a police station for law enforcement. We will discuss later and decide what can be done."

Another resident of the area, Parul Begum, said, "We are still hoping that the playground would be saved and our children can continue playing here. Many of us go on morning walks at the playground, so we are worried about what will happen."

The Tentultala playground, under ward 17 of Dhaka South City Corporation, has long been used as the playground for children and other social activities like a funeral prayer by the locals.

In a notice issued by the Dhaka district administration on 24 August last year, it was mentioned that the playground was proposed to be acquired by the government for the construction of the DMP Kalabagan thana building there. In the notice, the land was mentioned as fallow land.

Later, the residents of Kalabagan, environmentalists, social, cultural and development activists and the children and youths started a movement protesting the notice on 11 September.

Syeda Ratna and residents have long been continuing the movement protesting the construction of the thana building.