Home ›› 04 Dec 2022 ›› Front
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) has planned to establish nearly 90 parks including renovation of the existing parks and open spaces in its areas of jurisdiction.
Rajuk has made the proposal in its recently Detailed Area Plan (DAP 2022-35).
Officials from the authorities citing a recent physical survey carried out by Rajuk said at present the capital has only 0.9 percent of open spaces. The proposal has been placed to improve the situation.
DAP mentioned that it proposed parks and playgrounds to ensure emergency shelters during any natural disaster, climate mitigation in small areas and control over rising city temperature, recovering city ecology and meeting the demand for temporary reservoir for the city areas.
A survey found that 37 out of 129 wards of Dhaka’s two city corporations have no playgrounds or parks. Considering the area of Dhaka, 1,876 acres of land should be allotted for playgrounds. But there are only 294 acres of land.
In its proposal DAP said they had taken riverside areas into consideration in the selection of the proposed park areas. The plan also mentioned acquisition of land for the development of these parks.
The parks
Rajuk has split its areas into six central regions - Dhaka, Savar (West), Gazipur (North), Narayanganj (South), Rupganj and Kaliganj (East) and Keraniganj (South to West).
Again, only one (Dhaka) among the six central regions has regional parks (Ramna and Suhrawardy Udyan). DAP proposed five regional parks for each region.
According to the plan, the regional parks have been proposed in Charbaktabali and Gopchar Mouza at Alirtek Union of Narayangaj, Diakhali and Tajpur Mouza in Yarpur of Savar, Pachimgao, Purbagao, Chhatiyan Mouza of Rupganj in Narayanganj, Mugarchar, Char Chamardah Mouza of Ruhitpur and Kalatiya Union in Keraniganj and Sarupaitali and Surabari Mouza at Ward 5 in Gazipur City Corporation Area.
DAP has proposed 55 water parks surrounding 49 water reservoirs situated in the DAP areas. The water parks will cover an area of 2.73 to 587 acres of area.
Two Dhaka city corporations will get some 22 water parks although they will be relatively small in size while surrounding areas of the capital mainly Savar and Keraniganj will get some 11 and six water parks respectively.
DAP has proposed to turn Bhawal National Park into an eco-park. It also proposed 10 other eco-parks in its plan.
Among the 14 eco-parks some five will be in Dhaka, three in Gazipur and six others in Narayanganj.
Besides, 11 other parks including Sheikh Hasina Central Park in Keraniganj have been proposed in the plan. Among them, two parks will be in Dhaka, five in Savar, two in Keraniganj and the rest two in Narayanganj and Rupganj respectively.
Parks for ecological balance
DAP Project Director Rajuk’s Town Planner Md Ahsraful Islam said apart from parks the plan had taken a number of issues into consideration.
It not only increases green open space that is very poor for the population of the capital right now but also serves multiple other facilities.
While explaining the matter he said a feature of eco-park is to preserve the environment of the area and improve the life and livelihood of common people.
Eco-parks should be managed on a partnership basis with the local people in designated areas rather than evicting or rehabilitating them.
Through a water park the authorities expect that the ecosystem of a certain area will be expanded and environment will be balanced.
Citing an example he said it could be a shelter and breeding space for fish, birds and other animals. As it is going to be a tourist spot locals can be involved in various kinds of new professions.
The main beneficiaries of the profits from the tourism sector will be local residents and the local government.
Areas next to Hatirjheel had water-logging problems at several spots previously that are now gone. So, water parks or other kinds of parks will act as reservoirs as well, he added.
Professor of Urban and Regional Planning of Jahangirnagar University Dr Adil Mohammed Khan welcomed the inclusion of the parks in the plan and said if the plan could be executed by the local governments it would make the capital a livable city.
