The park beside Yusuf Road, once famous as a place of entertainment is now lying unclean and completely isolated.

"For the last four years, we have not been able to take a walk or exercise nor have children been able play in the open space as the environment is unhygienic and unclean," said Mirja Harun, a private employee living Bangshal for the last 20 years.

Taimur Alam, a 50 year-old government employee living in Babu Bazar said: "My children and I used to walk in the park every morning. But now the place is so dirty that I don't feel like stepping into it."

"The situation of all parks in the city is almost as same as this. It is sad that the authorities concerned are not taking any measures to preserve the park," Taimur said.

The iron fence around the park, the seats and trees are being destroyed day by day, he added.

"The guard deployed to safeguard the park is irresponsible and this paves way for miscreants to fell trees," said Abdur Rahman, a grocer beside the park.

Residents also alleged that the park is a safe heaven for miscreants, drug peddlers and addicts as well as prostitutes.

"As dusk falls peddlers sell drugs openly and middlemen along with the sex workers gather in the park where the deals take place," said Habibul Bahar, a Nayabazar resident.

When asked, Mrs. Suraiya Begum, ward commissioner of Dhaka City Corporation's (DCC) ward number 43 about any action she has taken, she said that the DCC would start reconstruction of the park very soon as a part of its development programme to uphold the environment of all parks in the city.

Regarding the allegation that some of her men have occupied the open space and set up bus counter, she said: "If there is any specific allegation against my men, I will resign from this post."

Residents of Zindabazar, Babu Bazar, Naya Bazar, Prasanna Poddar Lane, Islampur Road and Bangshal are annoyed about the present condition of the park and the negligence of the authorities.

"We applied to the DCC for the reconstruction of the park but no action has been taken yet. The environment of the park worsening day by day," said a resident.

There are 10 to 12 bus counters along the footpath adjacent the park and the passengers too add to the unhygienic and dirty environment.

"Some people use the park as a shelter for their cattle," said a nearby phone seller.

A high official of the DCC's estate department admitted that they were aware of the situation of the park.

"Most parks in the city are encroached by miscreants. We tried to evacuate them from the park at least five times in the 12 months. They come back as soon as we leave the place," he said.