Jhenaidah municipality Eco Park, better known as Debdaru Park situated on the southern bank of Navaganga River in Jhenaidah town was awarded Aga Khan Architecture Award 2022 for its beauty and suitable location. The park surrounded by a number of century old Debdaru tress has been attracting thousands of people and meeting up their natural thirst every day. The park is remaining open seven days a week free of cost. The park is also a spot for morning and afternoon walking for the people.
Laboni Akter, Sunita Das, Shamsul Alamin and some other students from the Islamic University while visiting the park said it was so beauty and attractive spot located on the bank of Navaganga River is blessed with the huge size Debdaru trees. A number of government establishments including district registry office, Dakpbanglo of the deputy commissioner (DC) and Shilpakala Academy had also increased the beauty of the area many times. The lucrative dishes of the adjacent areas have made their journey meaningful. The smaller size speedboats and traditional boats have made the river journey comfortable in the narrow space river, The river should be re-excavated for smooth moving of boats and swimming purposes, they said.
Khondaker Hasibul Kabir, an internationally reputed architecture belongs to Jhenaidah when contacted said he along with 50 other designers and engineers s had designed the park free of cost. They had so far completed 40 percent of the work and it will take more time to complete the remaining works. The century old Debdaru trees have enriched beauty of the park. It was really a matter of luck when the park was awarded with Aga Khan Architecture Award 2022, Kabir said.
Initiator of the Eco Park ex municipality mayor also general secretary of Bangladesh Awami League Jhenaidah district committee Saidul Karim Mintu said there is always a risk to establish any good initiatives like the park. They had initiated the park mainly to preserve the century old Debdaru trees on the bank of Navaganga River and to give some recreation facilities to the municipal dwellers, especially the people walk in the morning and afternoon. Another objective of the park was to save the trees from the wrath of the tree-felling people when there was a crisis for peoples movement in public.
Mintu said they had so far spent Taka two crore with the municipality fund including UGP fund for Taka 1.15 crore. Another Taka three crore would be required to complete the construction and decoration purposes, he said.
The authorities of the international Aga Khan Architecture Award 2022 had chosen Jhenaidah municipality Eco Park as one of the 20 parks among a total of 463 establishments this year.
According to Saidul Karim Mintu said any one at any day or time might visit the open park spending Taka five or ten from any part of the time. The food corners near the adjacent Shilpakala Academy might meet their modern or traditional food items at affordable prices. To ensure law and order adequate law enforcers have been moving here and there to make the time worthy and hassle-free for all ages of people.
To provide comfortable moment for the visitors they are going to evict the illegal structures from both sides of the river and re-excavate the river at an early time, Mintu added.