Banani playfield taken over by construction materials

Construction materials -- sand, rods, bricks, cement -- lie scattered around the field. Hundreds of workers are at work, pick up vans loading and unloading materials.

This is what Banani's ‘Cosmic Park’ has been reduced to.

Residents missing out on a casual stroll or for a space to exercise are understandably upset.

They say that the field has become a dumping ground, a kind of an open warehouse for construction material, for the past two months.

A footwalk next to the field houses a temporary office of the construction firm at work.

Its Engineer in-charge Md Khalid Hossain Tarafdar told bdnews24.com the field has been in use for the drainage and footpath work under the Dhaka North City Corporation authority.

“Drainage and footpath works is a one-year project and it is on. However, this is a temporary arrangement. We do not have any space allocated to storing construction material. If we keep them beside the roads, traffic congestion happens. That is why we have kept the goods here in the field.” 

Stating that the locals have no complaint against the arrangement he said, ”This has been done for the benefit of the locals. They have not complained rather they have cooperated with us.”

However, a local, Md Arifuzzaman said,” Children do not have any place to play. Who knows when this field will be suitable for playing.

Senior citizens wanting to take a walk cannot do so now. Nobody could say when this will change.”