Syed Shemul Parvez :
In the name of modernisation, the capital’s Shahbagh Shishu Park has remained closed for three years. The park may repair closed for another three years due to the same excuse.
The guardians as well as parents of the children take it for negligence to the children’s mental development. Urban experts say a generation of children will be completely deprived of Shishu’s entertainment if it is closed for six years.
Earlier, throughout the year, the presence of children and teenagers in the capital’s Shahbagh Shishu Park was eye-catching. But since 2019, that picture has completely been changed. The important park of the capital has been closed for three years for renovation work. The parents complained about this, closing the children’s park for three years in the name of setting up modern rides is nothing but indifference.
Mohammad Samim Hossain, father of two children came to the city’s Shahbagh Shishu Park in order to spend some time with his beloved Children marking the Eid holydays on Thursday afternoon. But after arriving there, they become upset to see the close of Shishu park.
Alleging the issue, Samim told the New Nation that it is really very pathetic for us as we are unable to pass weekend and leisure time with our children in the Shishu park as it is closed for last 3 years in the name of modernization.
Rony Ahmed, inhabitant of old Dhaka , came to Shahbagh Shishu park with his daughter for recreation. But saw the park closed for five times as he visited in the past. In this issue, Rony told the New Nation that we are from city’s Lalbagh as Shahbagh is not very far from there. But we have become again disappointed to see the park closed again.
Besides, as we are from low middle class family. So it is impossible for us to visit Cox’s Bazar and Kuakata with our children, he added.
Currently, under a project of the Ministry of Liberation War, the Directorate of Public Works is working on underground car parking there. It will take two more years to complete this work. After that DSCC will install rides in the park. As such, it will take also another three years to open the park.
In this regards, Urban Specialist Architect Iqbal Habib told the New Nation that it is not acceptable to let a children’s park closed for six years in the name of modernization.
During this time a generation of children will be deprived of park entertainment.
The Shishu Park was established on a 15-acre site in Shahbag in 1979 at the initiative of Bangladesh Tourism Corporation. It started its journey as a children’s entertainment center in 1983.
