Inside Benazir’s Savana Resort: What’s it like now?

The park’s main gate is closed. A few employees are on duty beside the entrance. Next to the gate is a reception room, in front of which two signboards have been placed displaying a court seizure order and the park’s regulations.

Upon entering through the main gate, there are two ponds on the right-hand side, with a paved road running alongside them. The road extends westward for some distance before turning north. Several ponds on the southern side remain empty. At the south-west corner of those ponds stands a Ferris wheel built for recreational purposes.

Further along the internal road towards the north, several more ponds can be seen on the left, with small cottages built along their banks. A little farther ahead is a swimming pool, but there are no visitors.

This was the scene at 9:00 am today, Monday, at Savana Eco Resort and Natural Park in Bairagi Toll village of Gopalganj Sadar upazila. It is alleged that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed built the park through various irregularities and abuse of power.

Benazir Ahmed was arrested in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, yesterday, Sunday. In a statement delivered in parliament under Rule 300 yesterday, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said an Interpol Red Notice had been issued against Benazir Ahmed.

On 12 June, the United Arab Emirates informed the Bangladesh government via email that Benazir Ahmed has been arrested.

Benazir Ahmed is from Gopalganj district. In Bairagi Toll village of Gopalganj Sadar upazila, he developed Savana Eco Resort and Natural Park on more than 600 bighas of land.

He also purchased several hundred bighas of land in Gopalganj and Madaripur in his own and family members’ names. Almost all of these properties belonged to members of the Hindu community.

Owners of those lands said they had little choice but to sell their land, alleging that it was acquired through intimidation, coercion and various other tactics.

Sanjay Bal, a resident of Bairagi Toll village, said, “We have lived peacefully in this area for a long time. Benazir Ahmed forcibly took our lands and created unrest in the community. People are happy to hear about his arrest. However, we still cannot access our land and ponds. We request the authorities to allow us to enter our properties.”

He alleged that several local residents had spoken out against the irregularities from the outset. As a result, false cases were filed against them, and they have yet to be freed from those legal troubles.

Following a court order, Savana Eco Resort and Natural Park, along with various other assets belonging to Benazir Ahmed, was seized. On the afternoon of 3 June 2024, the park authorities announced its closure “due to unavoidable circumstances”.

At the time, locals alleged that equipment and other items had been removed from the park in trucks under the cover of darkness after the court issued the seizure order.

On 6 June 2024, an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) deputy director and an assistant commissioner (land) executed the court order. The ACC and the district administration later took control of the property and announced the move through public loudspeaker announcements.

On 10 June 2024, then deputy commissioner Kazi Mahbubul Alam visited the park. In line with court directives, the park’s ponds, water bodies, eco-resort facilities, cottages and other structures were formally seized and arrangements were made for their maintenance.

Responsibility for overseeing the agricultural land was assigned to the Department of Agricultural Extension, while the district fisheries officer was put in charge of the ponds and water bodies.

On 1 February 2025, Suruchi Traders leased the park and its ponds for one year through a tender process. The lease value for 20 ponds was Tk 3.85 million (38.5 lakh), while the park itself was leased for Tk 6.65 million (66.5 lakh). Hirak Roy and Himel Daria jointly obtained the lease.

On 1 February 2026, Suruchi Traders renewed only the park lease for Tk 7.315 million (73.15 lakh), a 10 per cent increase over the previous amount. Having incurred losses from the ponds the previous year, the company did not renew those leases.

In addition, a 32-bigha wetland area, ponds and around 3.5 acres of arable land located in the Madaripur section on the eastern side of the park were reportedly leased out separately.

Mohammad Mamunur Rahman, deputy director of the Gopalganj Department of Agricultural Extension, said Savana Eco Resort and Natural Park has 20 ponds. In the current fiscal year, the park has been leased out for Tk 7.3 million (73 lakh), a 10 per cent increase from the previous year.

He added that newspaper advertisements have also been published to lease out the ponds.

Himel Daria, one of the park’s leaseholders, told Prothom Alo, “We have taken the lease again in an effort to recover last year’s losses. Under the agreement, the same contractor can renew the lease for the next three years with a 10 per cent increase in the lease value each year.”

He said around 40 employees are currently working at the park and monthly operating costs are about Tk 700,000. Last year, after deducting all expenses, losses amounted to around Tk 4 million (40 lakh) from the ponds and about Tk 3.5 million (35 lakh) from the park itself.

He said the ponds are now almost unusable and number of visitors at the park remain low. Although some profit is expected during winter and the picnic season, visitor numbers were lower last year because of political developments and the election.

At around 11:30 am, while leaving the park, this correspondent saw five to seven young men arriving at the main gate from Rajoir upazila in Madaripur. They purchased tickets from the ticket counter and entered the park.