Fire Service builds resort instead of fire station in Purbachal

The Fire Service and Civil Defence Department has built a resort—rather than a fire station—on land allocated for public safety infrastructure in the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK)’s Purbachal New Town project.

The resort, operated by a private company, offers accommodation, catering, and arrangements for social events such as weddings and holud ceremonies.

The Fire Service was allotted land in three locations within the Purbachal project for fire stations. Of these, one plot has indeed been used for a fire station, one remains vacant, and the third—intended for a fire station—has been transformed into a resort.

When contacted, Brigadier General Mohammad Zahid Kamal, Director General of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Department, told Prothom Alo over the phone, “Since the Purbachal New Town project has not yet become fully operational...” —leaving his sentence unfinished. He added that work had already begun to construct a fire station there.

Asked about the ethics of commercially using land allocated for public welfare, Zahid Kamal said he took office on 5 August last year and would look into the matter.

The Purbachal New Town project began in 1995 but remains incomplete. While some people have already started living there, most plots are still under development. The project spans 6,213 acres and is expected to become a major residential and commercial hub in the future.

Within the project, land was allocated for schools, hospitals, shopping complexes, and fire stations. The Fire Service received three plots,  one 2.4-acre plot in Sector 4, where some structures exist but no fire station has yet been built. Besides, there is one 9.1-acre plot in Sector 12, where a fire station has been constructed and another 4.7-acre plot in Sector 28, where the resort now stands.

The resort, called The Spot, is located about 11 kilometres from Nila Market on the 300-Foot Road (36 July Expressway) in Purbachal. During a visit on 21 September, the premises were found enclosed by boundary walls.

Staff at the gate said entry was allowed only with prior booking — a rule introduced in August.

Several employees, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the venue can be booked for social events or overnight stays for a fixed fee. Daylong packages and camping options with tents are also available. Fire Service personnel receive special discounts.

Currently, the resort has two air-conditioned cottages for guests. According to staff, many people visit to enjoy a quiet, private getaway.

Posts on The Spot’s Facebook page showcase photos from lavish events held there, along with regular advertisements for daylong or overnight packages. One post from 22 August offered a three-hour package including khichuri, chicken curry, two types of mashed vegetables, and two fried items for Tk 890 per person.

Another package offered daylong access—from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm—including meals and a boat ride for Tk 3,000 per person. A full-day couple’s package, including meals, was priced at Tk 7,990, with the same rate for overnight stays.

Attempts to confirm whether the Fire Service leased the land to The Spot, and on what terms or for how much, were unsuccessful.

Sources said the resort began operating during the Awami League government, which was ousted in the July mass uprising. The resort’s Facebook page was launched in 2022.

RAJUK Chairman Md Riazul Islam could not be reached for comment. Despite written questions sent via text message, he did not respond.

A senior RAJUK official, requesting anonymity, said, “There are many other irregularities like this in the Purbachal New Town project. Many people have built hotels, restaurants, and resorts on residential plots. RAJUK knows this but remains silent.”

Purbachal new town is RAJUK’s largest project, but when it will truly become a city remains uncertain. The latest inter-ministerial meeting records show that 96 per cent of land development has been completed. Of 26,213 residential plots, 24,560 have been handed over, and lease deeds have been finalised for around 23,500 plots.

According to RAJUK data, 345 of 365 kilometres of planned roads have been completed, along with all 52 bridges and 46 kilometres of canal and river improvements. Around 1,500 families have electricity connections, and gas supply has been partially introduced in Sectors 1–4, with a target of reaching another 11,000 plots by December.

So far, RAJUK has approved 460 building designs, of which 90 have been completed and 77 are under construction.

Plot holders say essential public services such as schools, hospitals, and police stations should be established first to make the area livable. “Instead, we see increasing commercial activities—and now even the Fire Service has joined in,” one of them said.

Professor Adil Muhammed Khan, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), said that in Bangladesh, the term “public interest” is too often used to justify wrongdoing.

Speaking to Prothom Alo about the Fire Service’s resort, he said, Someone must have benefited personally from building a resort there. The Fire Service officials involved are responsible, but RAJUK also bears equal blame for remaining silent despite being the regulatory authority.