Despite pledges for preservation, Biplob Udyan’s green space gives way to concrete again
Despite promises made by Chattogram Mayor Shahadat Hossain to restore Biplob Udyan as a public park, the city corporation leased the space for commercial development under a new 25-year contract, sparking criticism from urban planners.
The deal, signed with Noor Hafiz Properties in early June, allows vertical expansion of the park's existing single-storey structure into a four-storey commercial complex.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. This contradicts Mayor Shahadat's public commitment last year that no new structures would be built in the park, said civil society members.
According to CCC sources, the new plan includes a green-friendly urban lounge on the first floor, a coffee shop with indoor games and open-air seating on the second floor, and an exhibition centre on the third floor dedicated to Chattogram's history and the Liberation War.
The company is expected to manage 21 existing shops and two public toilets, and install digital billboards, ATM booths, and kiosks. Additional features include a walkway, a 1,500 sqft air-conditioned room, and a design inspired by the national flag.
Shahadat defended the move, citing financial benefits for the CCC. "We are not building a new structure; rather, we are vertically expanding the existing one," he told The Daily Star.
He said the new lease would bring in Tk 18 lakh annually, compared to Tk 1 lakh under the previous agreement. He also assured that the park would remain open to the public, with a Kids' Zone and walkways.
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However, critics say the decision marks a reversal of the mayor's earlier stance.
After assuming office on October 1, last year, Shahadat vowed to prioritise green space over commercial ventures in Biplob Udyan, even ordering the demolition of a structure built during the tenure of his predecessor, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury. In November last year, the CCC formally cancelled the previous commercial lease.
Architect Zarina Hossain, general secretary of Forum for Planned Chattogram, said the move undermines public trust.
"It is a matter of regret that greenery in Chattogram is vanishing in the name of commercialisation," she said. "If the CCC needs revenue, there are other options."
Established in 1979, Biplob Udyan was once a lush, one-acre park with gardens and a pond. But successive administrations have allowed commercial encroachment. A recent visit revealed a barren field with around 25 eateries and little greenery remaining.
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