Staff Reporter :
A group of environmental activists on Monday held a citizens’ rally at the Tentultala playground in the Kalabagan area to protect it as this area has been earmarked for the construction of a police station. They said that they would move to the court, if necessary, for the protection of the playground.
Joint-Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) Architect Mobasher Hossain, Architect Iqbal Habib and Executive Director of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association Syeda Rizwana Hasan expressed solidarity with the rally. Iqbal Habib said, “The place is not fit for the construction of a police station. Police are
people’s friend. They cannot grab the asset of a friend.”
Quoting Home Minister, he further said, the Home Minister instructed for selecting an alternative place for a police station in the area.
“If you construct the police station here, it means you are not caring the instruction. Some members of police want to embarrass the government,” he said.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan said, “Our protest is not against the law enforcers or the police station. Our struggle is to live in a healthy environment. Our struggle is against any illegal occupation.”
“We don’t want to see police here from tomorrow. This playground is for the people,” she added.
She also called upon all to come to the streets to save the playground for the sake of environmental balance.
“There is nothing to be terrified. Our fight is for the truth. This playground will remain open for all. We want that the Eid-ul-Fitr prayer will be held here,” she said.
Drawing attention to the police, she said, “You are interfering into the civic rights in the name of the government. It’s not the part of your duty to intimidate the innocent people. You are doing work against the Constitution.”
She also demanded fair investigation of the detention of Syeda Ratna and her son whom police detained for the protest against the construction of the police station at the playground on Sunday.
The organisation condemned the incident of the detention of Syeda Ratna and termed it as an act against the Constitution.
