SYLHET, Oct 11: The much-desired Children's Park in the Alampur area of Sylhet divisional city has not been opened yet despite preparation almost a year ago.
The story began in 2006 as Tk 175.1 million was sanctioned for establishment of 'Saifur Rahman Shishu Park'.
The Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) started constructing the park in Alampur on 3.77 acres of land on the Sylhet-Zakiganj highway.
Land filling, setting up power substation, erecting boundary wall and construction of the main gate cost Tk 55.1 million till 2009 since the work remained suspended for years after the 1/11 political impasse, sources said.
For complexities like indecision on the part of the authorities, the rides could not be set up, forcing to withdraw Tk 120 million from the sanction.
However, spending years with no work, the SCC took initiatives for resuming the work in 2014.
The then Finance Minister AMA Muhith, also the lawmaker from Sylhet Sadar, wrote a Dummy Official Letter (DO) to the LGRD Minister for completing the suspended work.
The project remained suspended for eight years even after completion of the infrastructural work.
The SCC then resumed the work for setting up the imported rides on November 7, 2017 with an assurance to complete it within six months.
But it could not be made ready for opening even three years after the completion of installation of the rides.
However, an official at the SCC preferring anonymity said complexities arose as the park had been first named after M Saifur Rahman.
Meanwhile, during the last few years many valuable parts of the park's power substation have got stolen.
Then the SCC attempted to name it 'Sylhet Shishu Park'. However, at last the facility was named 'Sheikh Hasina Shishu Park'.
A total of Tk 200 million has so far been spent for the establishment of the facility.
Already about 15 rides have been installed while a few parts of some of the rides have gone inoperative or stolen.
Electricity supply system has been set from alternative sources. After some initial tests, the authorities would go for a formal inauguration, sources added.
Contacted, SCC Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury said on Friday the rest of the work at a cost of Tk 20 million will be done this fiscal for making the children's park fully operational.
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