Move to evict Zinda Park draws flak

Green activists here on Saturday deplored Rajuk’s (Rajdhani Unnyan Kortripokho’s) move to drive out the initiators of natural wonder Zinda Park from its site. Located at Rupganj upazila in Narayanganj, Zinda Park over the last 33 years has been a unique example of nature conservation by a united move of the local people. The park has turned into a place for recreation for urban people living nearby and also provides livelihoods to a number of families displaced over the years due to the implementation of Purbachal Housing Project by Rajuk. Several rights organisations, including Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba), Bangladesh Environment Lawyers’ Association (Bela) and Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa), formed a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press club on Saturday in protest against the Rajuk move to displace the locals from Zinda Park area. Rajuk is doing it following its failure to implement a housing project destroying Zinda Park, claimed the organisers. Back in 2008, Rajuk had to cancel a housing project it planned in the area in face of protest by environment activists and locals. One of the initiators of Zinda Park, Ograpothik Palli Samity, also filed a writ petition with the High Court when Rajuk attempted again to evacuate the locals from the park, according to a news agency.