A scenic garden named Rupantor has been developed along an approximately four-kilometre stretch from Aminbazar to Hemayetpur on Dhaka–Aricha Highway which was once a vast mound of waste. After two decades, thousands of green trees and ornamental plants now adorn the site.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday inaugurated ‘Rupantor’ project, transforming a two-decade-old waste dump along the Dhaka-Aricha Highway in Aminbazar into a 4-kilometre garden.
“This initiative in Aminbazar is a major example of how an area can be transformed beautifully for the welfare of people through proper planning and good intentions,” he said at the ceremony. He described the project as an outstanding example for district administrators and thanked Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanam and the officials involved.
Waste had been dumped beside the highway for nearly two decades, creating piles up to 30 feet high. The PM ordered action after witnessing the dump while travelling to Singair last July, said a press release on Sunday.
Under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner, a three-month effort cleared the waste. The land was then prepared, with 20 surface drains installed and 6,585 trees and ornamental plants- including neem and areca nut trees- planted to prevent soil erosion.
The garden, 10 to 25 metres wide, now features a 3-kilowatt renewable energy system combining solar panels and a wind turbine, alongside 120 electric lights.
The PM urged local residents to take responsibility for preserving the garden’s beauty.
He also advised the Deputy Commissioner to extend the initiative beyond the 4-kilometre stretch and called on local MPs and factory owners to ensure a permanent solution to waste management.
