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Ramna Park gets new look


Published : 19 May 2019 08:41 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 03:56 PM

The government has embarked on an initiative to refurbish the 70-year-old Ramna Park that remained neglected for years even after being a lucrative spot for recreation of the city dwellers. Public Works Department has taken a two-year project to develop the park’s infrastructure and beautify its overall look. A tender has already been floated for the Tk 47.96-crore project, scheduled to end by December next year.

During a spot visit to the park recently, it was seen that food packets and other leftovers are scattered here and there. Water of the lake has turned black due to rotten leaves falling from trees. The water level has decreased also while the lakeside areas have been covered up by weeds. On the other hand, the rides set up at the children’s corner have become old and the bricks of the walkways broken.

Sources related to the project said the lake of the park would be re-excavated fully. New benches would be built for the visitors besides the construction of a bridge on the lake. The lake would have water all through the year. The park would be decorated with colourful lights. We have also decided to go for landscaping afforestation, they added.

‘‘Like developed countries, the lakesides will be framed with wooden deck. Water fountains would be built inside the lake besides the addition of three public bathrooms and 11 open coffee corners. New rides will also be set up at the children corner,’’ they added.‘‘Instead of the old footpath inside the park, a new paved road would be built.’’

Chief Engineer of Public Works Department Md Sahadat Hossain Ramna Park, the lucrative place for the recreation of the commoners, would be decorated in new look. Once the whole project is implemented, the visitors would surely be astonished seeing the change of look of the park. The government has initiated to renovate Ramna Park in the context that the number of trees is decreasing at an alarming rate in the capital as more and more high-rises are gobbling up the open space and green trees and that all the parks here are in dilapidated condition.

Among the city parks, however, Ramna Park still offers an open space of refuge for the drained city dwellers. Numerous people still come to the park in the morning and evening for jogging and passing a stress-free time. However, the park which has become the last refuge for the people of a city ranking high in global air pollution index is losing its appeal day by day due to mismanagement and negligence of duty.

Mentionable, Ramna Park, one of the most beautiful areas in Dhaka with lots of trees and a lake, has a long history. The history of Ramna starts about 1610 CE during Mughal rule, when the city of Dhaka was founded by Subehdar Islam Khan under Emperor Jahangir. At that time two beautiful residential areas were developed in the northern suburb of Dhaka city. New residential houses, gardens, mosques, tombs and temples were built in this area during that period. 

After the fall of the Mughal rule, Ramna gradually lost much of its glory. Ramna was then a barren area with bushes, abandoned or dilapidated buildings, tombs and old temples. After creation of Pakistan in 1947, Ramna area continued to occupy an important place in the history of Dhaka city. A new road from Shahbagh to the Eden Building was constructed, and the eastern side of the road was developed as the Ramna Park.