Drug use, extortion continue in Suhrawardy Udyan in broad daylight

At 1:30 pm on Wednesday, a middle-aged man was seen openly consuming drugs near the open stage of Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital. The strong smell of drugs lingered in the air. Just a short distance away, several others were also seen engaging in drug use. 

This took place less than 24 hours after Dhaka University student Shahriar Alam Samya was murdered inside the park on Tuesday night. Despite the killing, drug consumption continued unchecked. No law enforcement presence was visible. 

Suhrawardy Udyan, one of the largest parks in the city, is frequented daily by people for walking, recreation, and gatherings. Due to its proximity to Dhaka University, many students also visit the park. However, the absence of security has turned this historic space into a hotspot for drug abuse. Drug sales and consumption take place openly within the premises. 

The park is also plagued by extortion, with hundreds of makeshift shops set up throughout. Incidents of mugging are common. In recent years, several murders have occurred inside the park. 

Conditions in Suhrawardy Udyan are unhygienic. Litters are scattered, and people are seen urinating and defecating in the open. Despite these issues, people continue to visit the park due to the lack of public spaces in the capital. Various events and political gatherings are also regularly held here.

Once known as the Race Course Maidan, the area was historically used for horse racing. It was here, on 16 December 1971, that the Pakistani army surrendered. After independence, the park was renamed Suhrawardy Udyan in honour of politician Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy.

The park spans 63 acres and is under the supervision of the Public Works Department. Several important monuments, including the Independence Pillar, Shikha Chirantan, and the Independence Museum, are located here. Construction began in 1998 and has since continued in phases. The project remains incomplete. 

Suhrawardy Udyan has at least five entry points, and there are no restrictions on access. No security system is in place at any entrance or within the park itself. As a result, drug use continues in broad daylight, while various crimes take place after dark. 

Shahriar Alam Samya was fatally stabbed near the Muktamancha inside Suhrawardy Udyan around 12:15 am on Wednesday. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition, where physicians declared him dead. Shahriar was the literary and publishing secretary of the Sir AF Rahman Hall unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal at Dhaka University. 

This correspondent spoke to several people living in Suhrawardy Udyan on Wednesday, who confirmed that around 25 to 30 individuals are involved in the park’s drug trade. Many of them sell flowers during the day to conceal their real activities. Behind them, however, operate larger drug dealers and traffickers.

In the afternoon, this correspondent approached a drug dealer posing as a buyer. He claimed that the number of drug users has increased significantly in recent times, leading to a rise in demand. He also revealed that, to continue their trade, they have to pay off local political leaders and activists, student leaders from the Dhaka University campus, and members of law enforcement.

The dealer said he moves around the park to sell drugs and currently resides in one of the under-construction “food kiosk” canteens inside the park. These kiosks were originally built to provide seating, light meals, and toilet facilities for visitors. However, they remain incomplete and are now being used as shelter by individuals involved in illegal activities.

Conversations with several others associated with the drug trade suggest that the situation worsened following reduced police activity after the July uprising.

Shahbagh police station officer-in-charge Mohammad Khalid Mansur said, “Since I took charge, I’ve had to manage one protest after another in the Shahbagh area. Even so, whenever possible, we continue to seize drugs and file cases. Starting tomorrow (Thursday), we will conduct a large-scale operation with joint forces. This will be carried out in coordination with the Dhaka University administration.” 

Extortion through unauthorised shop setups has long been a problem in Suhrawardy Udyan, with previous allegations pointing to the involvement of the Chhatra League. Following the July mass uprising, the number of makeshift shops has surged. Regular visitors now estimate that the total number of shops in the park exceeds a thousand. 

During a visit yesterday, around 100 shops were seen clustered near the gate of Suhrawardy Udyan adjacent to Dhaka University’s TSC. Prior to July, there were only 20 to 30 shops in this area. Back then, Chhatra League leaders reportedly demanded payments before allowing anyone to set up a shop. 

Now, mobile food stalls and temporary shops stretch from the Shikha Chirantan area of the park to entrances near the Faculty of Fine Arts, the Photo Market, and the Ramna Kali Mandir. 

Interviews with at least 20 mobile vendors revealed that a new group now controls the operations. This group includes individuals named Shahjahan, Khoka, Nannu, Jahangir, Selim, Babu, Bashar, Hridoy, and others—about 10 to 15 in total. They are reportedly backed by some local BNP leaders and student leaders of Dhaka University. Several shops have also been established under the guise of student identity from the university. 

Shopkeepers said a one-time payment of Tk 5,000 to Tk 10,000 is required to set up shop. Additionally, daily extortion payments range from Tk 50 to Tk 100, with weekly collections amounting to Tk 200 to Tk 500. 

Nazrul Islam, a Work Assistant at the Public Works Department, said, “We often evict them, but they return. Many pay bribes to resume business. Some even come back posing as students. Then we can’t take action out of fear.”

He added, “If we conduct raids, they threaten to file complaints against us with higher authorities. So we remain silent.” 

Suhrawardy Udyan has witnessed a series of violent crimes in recent years, underscoring the park’s worsening law and order situation. 

According to media reports, on the night of 10 September, 2024, a 65-year-old woman was brutally tortured in the park. Earlier, on 21 January, a Dhaka University student was arrested for allegedly assaulting and robbing a female police officer. 

The previous year saw multiple gruesome incidents. On 27 January, 2023, police recovered the body of an unidentified individual from the park. Just months later, on 21 April, the body of a young woman was found hanging from a tree. 

On the night of 15 January 2023, a couple was assaulted in the park, and their gold ornaments were looted. In connection with this case, Chhatra League leaders Rahul Roy and Tanjir Arafat Tushar were accused. That same year, police also arrested two more Chhatra League leaders on extortion charges during the Ekushey Book Fair. 

The park’s grim history stretches back further. On 1 June 2021, the body of a young man named Abul Hasan was found near the garden. Two years later, his father revealed in a case filing that activists of the Dhaka University Chhatra League were involved in the murder. 

In the wake of the recent killing of a Dhaka University student, authorities have promised to ramp up security in Suhrawardy Udyan. Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday that following a meeting between the Dhaka University administration and Suhrawardy Udyan authorities, several crucial decisions were made: 

The park gate adjacent to TSC will be permanently closed. 

A joint operation will be launched to remove illegal shops, curb drug trafficking, and ensure cleanliness. 

The Ministry of Public Works will form a committee involving relevant stakeholders to oversee regular surveillance and operations. 

Adequate lighting and CCTV cameras will be installed and regularly monitored. 

A permanent police box will be set up inside Suhrawardy Udyan. 

A disciplined management system, similar to Ramna Park, will be introduced. 

Public entry to the park will be prohibited after 8:00 pm. 

The advisor added that steps are being taken to gradually transform Suhrawardy Udyan from a hotspot of crime into a safe and accessible public space. The government, he said, hopes for the cooperation of the university administration and students in this effort.