Image description
The Dhaka South City Corporation launches a drive to demolish illegal shops and structures, following the murder of Dhaka University student Shahriar Alam Shammo, also a leader of the Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal, at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital Dhaka on Thursday. | Md Saurav

The Dhaka South City Corporation on Thursday evicted all illegal shops and makeshift structures from the Suhrawardy Udyan following the fatal stabbing of Dhaka University student and Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal leader Shahriar Alam Shammo near Suhrawardy Udyan on Tuesday night.

Shahriar, a student of the Institute of Education and Research at Dhaka University, died in the attack by miscreants on Tuesday night, triggering protests and raising security concerns.


The joint eviction drive led by Dhaka South executive magistrate Md Aminul Islam began at about 9:15am and continued till about 2:15pm, with participation of acting Dhaka University estate manager Fatema Binte Mustafa, officials from the Department of Public Works, Shahbagh police, and Ansar members.

Aminul told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· that the drive was conducted to ensure a secure environment in the park, as people from all walks of life visited it regularly.

He added that all makeshift shops and structures were demolished using four bulldozers during the joint drive amid tight security.

‘No illegal shops would be allowed in the Suhrawardy Udyan from now on,’ Aminul said.

Following the stabbing incident, the DU authorities at an emergency meeting attended by the local government, rural development and cooperatives adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain and DU vice-chancellor professor Niaz Ahmed Khan, made some decisions to tighten security in the Suhrawardy Udyan area.

The decisions include beginning search operations at the park area from Thursday, closing the Suhrawardy Udyan’s gate adjacent to the university’s Teacher-Student Centre permanently, the formation of a monitoring committee led by the public works ministry with representatives from other authorities concerned for permanent development of the Suhrawardy Udyan like that of Ramna Park, and the installation of CCTV cameras, lights and a police box at the park.