Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan on Tuesday said the city corporation was prioritising the creation of open playgrounds and parks for residents, as he inaugurated a children’s playground, a Shaheed Minar and a park in Mirpur 13’s Ward No 4 area.
He said the initiative was being taken in line with the election pledge of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s administration, adding that all parks and playgrounds under DNCC would be reclaimed from illegal occupation, renovated and opened to the public.
Speaking at the inauguration event, Shafiqul said he had pledged during the election period that, if Tarique Rahman took charge of the state administration through a public mandate, DNCC areas would see the restoration of public spaces.
“Following that commitment, this park and playground have been opened within a short period under the instruction of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman,” he said in a press release.
The DNCC administrator said efforts would continue to reclaim and renovate all parks and playgrounds under the city corporation, while also improving cleanliness. He added that initiatives to develop parks, playgrounds, mosques and madrasas, as well as make Dhaka 15 constituency cleaner and greener, would be implemented.
He said the newly opened park would be maintained by a committee led by the regional executive officer and local representatives. The committee would oversee the management and upkeep of the facility, while closed-circuit television cameras would be installed within the next one and a half months.
Shafiqul urged students and young people to balance sports with education, saying they should return home after evening prayers to focus on studies. He also called on local residents to remain vigilant against disorderly activities and prevent any misuse of the public space.
He said the park would remain open for residents during designated hours and closed at other times. He also said measures were being taken with the support of local police to prevent antisocial activities and drug-related gatherings in the area.
The administrator said the city corporation would take steps before the next election to permanently recover the 22 No Teki Khal in Mirpur-Kafrul, address waterlogging and develop walkways and facilities for boat movement around the canal.
Referring to a 72-hour deadline for removing illegal posters from metro rail pillars, he said beautification work, including graffiti art, would begin after the cleaning activities were completed.
Shafiqul said a “zero tolerance” policy would be maintained against people involved in illegal or antisocial activities, regardless of political or organisational affiliation.
The inauguration ceremony was chaired by DNCC Chief Executive Officer Md Asaduzzaman. The chief engineer, local police officials and residents attended the event.
