Kalabagan police station construction continues amid protest from residents
Despite the home minister instructing the Dhaka South City Corporation to find an alternative location for the Kalabagan police station, construction is still ongoing.
As of Tuesday afternoon, workers have been seen bringing construction materials to the Tetultala field.
Dozens of residents of the area have gathered at the location to protest against destroying the only playground in the locality.
However, the number of police officers present at the location has outnumbered the protesting residents.
Syeda Ratna - one of the leading activists of the "Save Tetultala Playground" movement – has expressed hope that the government will give back the field as Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had directed the same on Monday.
"I told the mayor, I told everyone to find an alternative. If that is not possible, it is also necessary to build a police station for law enforcement. We will discuss later and decide what can be done," said the home minister while distributing Eid gifts in the capital's Tejgaon on Monday.
School student Rayhan said, "We have played on this playground since our childhood. Many tournaments of football, cricket and badminton take place here. We will have to play on the road if we do not have this playground anymore. Also, Eid jamaat as well as many social gatherings take place here. So, there will be many problems if the police station is built on this playground."
Another youth Zarif Hasan, said, "The police think they are more powerful than the home minister or the mayor. They [police] wrecked my grandfather's shop in the middle of the night. Now what will my grandfather do?"
Around 11:30am Sunday, Syeda Ratna - one of the leading activists of the "Save Tetultala Playground" movement - and her 17-year-old son were brought to the Kalabagan police station. They were kept in separate custody for 13 hours.
People on social media condemned the police for keeping 17-year-old Abdullah in custody meant for adults and naming him in the case.
The Tetultala playground, under ward 17 of Dhaka South City Corporation, has long been used as the playground for children and other social activities like a funeral prayer by the locals.
However, the Kalabagan police mounted a signboard in 2020 mentioning the spot was fixed for the police station. The residents immediately protested the action, removed the signboard, and continued using the space as before.
A Dhaka South City Corporation source said Tetultala playground is not on its list of playgrounds. The locals were using it as a playground.
In a notice issued by the Dhaka district administration on 24 August last year, it was mentioned that the playground was proposed to be acquired by the government for the construction of the DMP Kalabagan thana building there. In the notice, the land was mentioned as fallow land.
Later, the residents of Kalabagan, environmentalists, social, cultural and development activists and the children and youths started a movement protesting the notice on 11 September.
Syeda Ratna and residents have long been continuing the movement protesting the construction of the thana building.
