Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Wednesday said that the Tentultala field in the capital's Kalabagan area was never a playground.
The home minister made this remark after holding a meeting with top environmentalists at his secretariat office.
The minister said, “Tentultala was never a playground. It was always an abandoned land of the Public Works Department (PWD).”
He further said the DC office allocated the Tentultala land to the police. If the city corporation can give an alternative land, we will consider the matter, he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, on the issue of Tentultala playground, eminent citizens, including urbanist Iqbal Habib and environmentalist Syeda Rizwana Hasan came to meet the Home Minister at the secretariat.
Iqbal Habib told that the Home Minister informed them that he would try his best to protect the ground.
He said he would talk to the authorities concerned and the Prime Minister about the proposal to protect the field.
Iqbal Habib further said the Home Minister has assured us that he will talk to the Commissioner of Police to stop the construction work and make arrangements so that the children can enter the field till a final decision is reached.
Meanwhile, human rights activists, environmentalists, cultural activists and locals have warned of a tougher movement if the Tentultala ground is not returned to the locals and children.
They staged a protest rally against the decision of setting up a police station at Tentultala ground. They also planted 14 trees along the border of the field.
The protestors said that they will continue the movement until the land is declared as a playground.
