The police have finished the construction of the wall on Tetultala ground in the capital’s Kalabagan area.
They have erected the wall amid protests from the locals, environmentalists and the representatives of civil society demanding the protection of the grounds. The construction of the wall was completed on Wednesday at night.
The locals say the work on the wall was on hold during the demonstrations of the protesters. It resumed after everyone had left and was finished before dawn.
Visiting the spot at around 10.00am Thursday, it was seen that the wall had been erected over the entire area on the north side of the Tetultala ground. Only a little space has been left on one side of the ground. People can enter the ground from there.
Going through that narrow space last night, some police members were seen sitting there. Construction materials were scattered all over the grounds along the newly constructed wall.
The protesters had planted 14 local species of trees along the boundary of the field yesterday which have been left as it were.
Seeking anonymity, a local resident from the area told Prothom Alo, “Despite the ongoing protests and the commitment made by the home minister, the police didn’t stop the construction work. They have erected the wall on the playground like land grabbers.”
The protesters met the home minister at the secretariat with the demand to save the Tetultala ground on Wednesday. Their meeting with the minister lasted about half an hour.
Speaking to newspersons after the meeting, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, “We have made our point clear that we need space. Kalabagan needs a police station. If the mayor or any other can arrange a better place, we will consider it.”
This playground in Kalabagan is located in a lane opposite Square Hospital. It is an open space known as the Tetultala field.
The movement was going on for a long time with the demand to save the playground. On Sunday, the Kalabagan police detained Syeda Ratna and her son and kept them in custody for 13 hours. In the face of the protest, police released the woman and her son at midnight after making them sign a bond.