THE Dhaka Shishu Park has been closed for children since 2019 for renovation and is unlikely to open its doors by 2026. The modernisation plan, initially taken by the liberation war affairs ministry at a cost of Tk 265.44 crore for the Liberation Monument project in Suhrawardy Udyan, was supposed to begin in January 2018 and end in December 2019. The project, however, never took off as the city authorities have rejected the initial proposal on the grounds of a lack of funds. Later in October 2023, the National Economic Council approved a Tk 603.81 crore project, which began in May 2024 and is unlikely to meet its scheduled completion in June 2026. The project work is stalled because a large section of the park is occupied by the Shahbagh police station. After the fall of the Awami League regime, allegations surfaced in the media that the price of park rides mentioned in the approved plan is much higher than the market price and called for scrutiny. As the city authorities await the final report of a committee formed to re-evaluate the project plan, the largest entertainment park for children in the country remains inaccessible to people.
The importance of playgrounds and open places in child development is undeniable. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises that every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts. As a signatory to the convention, Bangladesh is duty bound to ensure children鈥檚 access to playgrounds and public parks. The reality, however, says otherwise. In 2019, a Bangladesh Institute of Planners report stated that out of the 235 playgrounds in Dhaka, 193 were restricted for ordinary people, and 16 public playgrounds were grabbed by influential quarters. In 2017, a Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics survey reported that only 2 per cent of children in Dhaka have access to playgrounds. Over the last three decades, Dhaka has lost around 56 per cent of its green spaces. In this context, the government should reconsider its policy that denies public access to parks and playgrounds for a protracted period in the name of modernisation.
Denying access to playgrounds and public parks has unexpected long-term consequences on child development. The planning ministry and the city authorities must, therefore, consider reopening the park by completing the renovation and modernisation work at the earliest. The government should also take steps to recover the land of the park.
