Almost developed Karwan Bazar park now a dumping yard

An almost developed park, adjacent to the capital's Karwan Bazar kitchen market, which the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) started making three years ago, has turned into a dumping yard as the developer kept it unprotected for the last six months.

The land of the park in the making once was illegally occupied by vendors. The DNCC, under one of its projects, appointed construction agency "Belal and Brothers" in 2017 to establish the recreation ground and several other establishments at Tk5.5 crore.

The under-developed small-scale park, at a short distance from another well-known park Panthokunjo in the Karwan Bazar area, is expected to bring relief to local people, especially children, and those coming to the largest kitchen market of the capital. 

However, the agency halted the construction of the park, still unnamed, after completing 95% of work as DNCC moved to build up a public toilet and a secondary waste transfer station on the southern side of the park. 

Meanwhile, the local people, Karwan Bazar traders and vendors started dumping waste in the unprotected park. Besides, construction materials and other equipment occupied a significant portion. 

In a recent visit, the gate of the park was found occupied by construction materials. Waste of furniture, abandoned van, and other kitchen market garbage were seen in the entire area. Although the construction of seater around the park was completed, they were found very dirty and full of mud. Some were found keeping their cattle in the park.

The secondary waste transfer station adjacent to the park was found open and smelled very bad. 

Besides, two wooden makeshift houses were seen inside the park where several displaced persons were residing. The installed lamp posts were ineffective. Some portions of the park infrastructure were found damaged. 

Local people said some traders of the Karwan Bazar were using the place for dumping their rotten products, while some cleaned their shop materials there.

"We became happy to learn that the government took an initiative to establish a park here. However, it could not do so in five years. At the last moment, the development has stopped, which is very frustrating," said Sirajul Islam, who resides near the park.  

"Setting up a secondary garbage transfer station, and a public toilet adjacent to the park is not a good idea. I think it will spoil the park's amenity," he added.

"When the park opens, I will take my children to the park for refreshment. We are waiting for that," he added and called for fast completion of the park. 

Caretaker of the park Moktar Hossain told The Business Standard that people (who dump waste in the park) were not paying heed to his words. "The authorities have not been paying me salaries for long, so I also do not care about that."

When contacted, the side-contractor of Belal and Brothers, who oversees the park development, said the DNCC allocated a budget of Tk5.5 crore to establish the park, the adjacent public toilet, secondary waste transfer station and 16 shops there.  

The 95% development work of the park was already completed and the rest would be after the toilet construction. 

"However, we are not sure about the construction of the shops," he told TBS. 

Meanwhile, Project Engineer of the under-construction public toilet Samiul Islam said they would take four to five months more to complete the project. "The park area is very unsafe, it is a habitat of drug-addicted and floating people."

Talking to The Business Standard, DNCC Executive Engineer for environment, climate change and disaster management circle Mohammad Abul Kashem said 95% of construction work of the park was completed several months ago.

"We are now waiting for the public toilet and waste transfer station construction completion. Once completed, We will open the park." Kashem, however, did not mention a specific time for the park opening.