Several hundred local residents, including teachers and students, on Monday staged a protest at a local government body鈥檚 move to construct a multi-storey market in the sole playground in the area at Katakhali in Rajshahi.
Rejecting the Katakhali municipality authorities鈥� attempt to build the market, the protesters under the banner of 鈥楰apasiar Sarbastarer Janagan鈥� (people from all walks of life of Kapasia) formed a human chain along the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway near Kapasia Bazar.
They demanded an immediate halt to the construction and restoration of the field for public use, saying that located next to Kapasia High School and Mahanagar Business and Technical Management College, the playground had long served as a vital venue for sports and social gatherings.
They alleged that the municipality had recently begun constructing a one-storey market, with plans to expand it into a four-storey complex with a community centre鈥攁 move that would eliminate the last remaining recreational space in the neighbourhood.
Expressing frustration over the apparent disregard for local sentiment, Akul Hossain Mithu, member secretary of Krishak Dal Rajshahi district unit, said that they had repeatedly urged the municipality authorities not to build the market here, but their pleas simply fell on deaf ears.
鈥楾here is a piece of government land near the Kapashia Haat. The authorities can build a market there instead. But I do not understand why the municipal authorities are so persistent in destroying the lone playground,鈥� he said.
Kapasia High School head teacher Md Shahjamal said that building a market next to the school would disrupt the academic environment and push the youths towards drugs and delinquency.
Mahanagar Business and Technical Management College principal Mokhsed Ali also protested at the building of the market in the playground, expressing their firm stand to prevent any such attempt.
Mahbub Islam, general secretary of Kapasia Bazar Traders鈥� Association, also criticised the move, saying, 鈥楾raders will not benefit, and children will lose their only field. Who made this decision, and on what grounds?鈥�
Speakers at the human chain warned of tougher movement if the project was not scrapped.
Contacted, Katakhali municipality secretary Sirajum Munir said that the construction was currently on hold due to local residents鈥� opposition.
鈥榃ork was halted earlier following objections and restarted after a meeting with the locals at the district administration office. But now it鈥檚 stalled again,鈥� he said.
Katakhali municipality administrator Zahid Hasan, also the assistant commissioner (land) of Paba upazila, told 抖阴精品 that he was not aware that the land was used as a playground.
鈥楾he market construction project began earlier but was halted for a long time. Now that we鈥檝e resumed it, a group of people have again obstructed the work,鈥� he said, adding that he would consult the matter with higher authorities.
