A Correspondent :
The district administration has undertaken a project involving Tk 3 crore to give DC Hill a facelift. However, the cultural activists complained that the district administration did not care to seek any suggestion from the cultural forums or cultural activists before undertaking the renovation work. On the contrary, the district administration thinks that the 20.32 acre DC Hill which was in a very shabby condition for a long time and was a major grievance for the park users and the cultural enthusiasts will wear an aesthetic look after completion of the beautification project. Residences of the divisional commissioner and the deputy commissioner are located on the DC Hill.
The hill is also used as a venue for cultural activities, site for morning walks and physical exercises. All the cultural programmes like book fairs, Swadhinata Mela, Pitha Utsab, and Rabindra and Nazrul Utsab had been held on the premises for around 40 years.
According to the district administration, the government allotted the budget of the project titled ‘Conservation and Beatification of DC Hill’ in the first week of May this year. The reconstruction work beginning from May 16 involves constructing fountain, gate in the main entrance, renovating and extending the walkway inside the park, constructing drains and guide wall.
The beautification project also involves renovating Nazrul Stage, building new audience gallery and restoring existing gallery Contacted, Mesbah Uddin, Chittagong Deputy Commissioner said, the district administration undertook the renovation project as per the demand of the city dwellers. “I have persuaded the concerned ministry for the renovation of the project. The hill goes under water every year following any downpour. The renovation work also includes water irrigation system underneath the soil. The DC Hill will be turned into a spectacular park after completion of the project,” said the DC.
“A Tk 3-crore project has been undertaken to modernise and beautify the DC
The government disbursed the money of the project in the first week of May. The renovation work is being carried out by Chittagong Public Works Department under seven groups,” added the DC.
On the other hand, Chittagong Sammilita Sangskritik Jote member-secretary Ahmed Iqbal Hayder expressed his resentment that the district administration did not hold any meeting with the cultural activists before renovating DC Hill.
“Every year, we used to celebrate our national poet Kazi Nazrul’s birth anniversary at DC Hills, but this year it has become impossible as the administration dismantled Nazrul Mancha all of a sudden due to the reconstruction,” added Hayder.
“We have no objection to the
reconstruction of the DC Hill. However, the project would have become much more beautiful if it was based on the consultation of the cultural activists,” added Hayder.
In response to the grievances of the cultural activists, Chittagong Deputy Commissioner assured that he would sit in a meeting with the cultural activists very soon. It may be mentioned that Chittagong District Administration and Chittagong Development Authority were at loggerheads over the beautification project last year.
On March 5, Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain directed the CDA to build the structures in the DC Hill area. The next day, the deputy commissioner and the divisional commissioner sent a letter to the CDA asking it not to proceed with any development activity there. On May 8, they also sent a legal notice to it.
The Chittagong Development Authority finally dropped its plan for a development project on the DC Hill amid resistance by the district administration.
During a recent visit to the DC Hill, it was found that the construction workers were employed for the renovation work. To complete the work within the deadline, the workers were seen passing busy hours.
The district administration has undertaken a project involving Tk 3 crore to give DC Hill a facelift. However, the cultural activists complained that the district administration did not care to seek any suggestion from the cultural forums or cultural activists before undertaking the renovation work. On the contrary, the district administration thinks that the 20.32 acre DC Hill which was in a very shabby condition for a long time and was a major grievance for the park users and the cultural enthusiasts will wear an aesthetic look after completion of the beautification project. Residences of the divisional commissioner and the deputy commissioner are located on the DC Hill.
The hill is also used as a venue for cultural activities, site for morning walks and physical exercises. All the cultural programmes like book fairs, Swadhinata Mela, Pitha Utsab, and Rabindra and Nazrul Utsab had been held on the premises for around 40 years.
According to the district administration, the government allotted the budget of the project titled ‘Conservation and Beatification of DC Hill’ in the first week of May this year. The reconstruction work beginning from May 16 involves constructing fountain, gate in the main entrance, renovating and extending the walkway inside the park, constructing drains and guide wall.
The beautification project also involves renovating Nazrul Stage, building new audience gallery and restoring existing gallery Contacted, Mesbah Uddin, Chittagong Deputy Commissioner said, the district administration undertook the renovation project as per the demand of the city dwellers. “I have persuaded the concerned ministry for the renovation of the project. The hill goes under water every year following any downpour. The renovation work also includes water irrigation system underneath the soil. The DC Hill will be turned into a spectacular park after completion of the project,” said the DC.
“A Tk 3-crore project has been undertaken to modernise and beautify the DC
The government disbursed the money of the project in the first week of May. The renovation work is being carried out by Chittagong Public Works Department under seven groups,” added the DC.
On the other hand, Chittagong Sammilita Sangskritik Jote member-secretary Ahmed Iqbal Hayder expressed his resentment that the district administration did not hold any meeting with the cultural activists before renovating DC Hill.
“Every year, we used to celebrate our national poet Kazi Nazrul’s birth anniversary at DC Hills, but this year it has become impossible as the administration dismantled Nazrul Mancha all of a sudden due to the reconstruction,” added Hayder.
“We have no objection to the
reconstruction of the DC Hill. However, the project would have become much more beautiful if it was based on the consultation of the cultural activists,” added Hayder.
In response to the grievances of the cultural activists, Chittagong Deputy Commissioner assured that he would sit in a meeting with the cultural activists very soon. It may be mentioned that Chittagong District Administration and Chittagong Development Authority were at loggerheads over the beautification project last year.
On March 5, Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain directed the CDA to build the structures in the DC Hill area. The next day, the deputy commissioner and the divisional commissioner sent a letter to the CDA asking it not to proceed with any development activity there. On May 8, they also sent a legal notice to it.
The Chittagong Development Authority finally dropped its plan for a development project on the DC Hill amid resistance by the district administration.
During a recent visit to the DC Hill, it was found that the construction workers were employed for the renovation work. To complete the work within the deadline, the workers were seen passing busy hours.
