It has been alleged that the National Housing Authority (NHA) felled the trees to construct a shopping centre on the land under Dhaka Urban Infrastructure Improvement Project.

The takeover and destruction of the solitary greenery in the area took place only three days after Tapan Chowdhury, advisor to the interim government, verbally assured the locals of conserving the green space.

After hearing the news, hundreds of environmentalists and locals including women and children thronged the scene in an attempt to save their only playground, but their effort was subdued by force with the help of law enforcers. A local amateur photographer, Faruque Hossain, was assaulted by the authorities during the ordeal while he was taking photographs of tree felling.

Zahirul Islam, 50, a local resident, told Star City that people from all ages used to go to the place for outdoor activities as there is no other open space left in the area. He said after the locals found out about such move by the authorities, they had sent petitions to the housing and public works adviser and the director of department of environment urging them to suspend the destruction of the green space.

Zahir also said "Since the decision on the matter is pending at the Supreme Court, the authorities should've waited till its verdict."

This correspondent was present during the destruction of the green space and talked to NHA officials as well as the locals over the history of the green space.

The disputed land, 17,700 square feet by area, was shown as a 'green space' in the master plan dated September 15, 1961. Surprisingly, on December 12, 1995, the housing authorities approved a layout plan showing the same space as a 'ditch'. The authorities also decided to construct 38 shops on the place under the Dhaka Urban Infrastructure Improvement Project.

As the locals resisted the decision and pursued the matter with ministries concerned, the housing and public works ministry conducted an investigation in 1998. The investigation report also recognised the existence of the green space on the spot.

Several newspapers at that time ran reports on ill motives of some unscrupulous housing officials who had been behind the decision of constructing a shopping centre on the spot.

In 2003, the locals lodged a writ petition with the Supreme Court requesting it to conserve the green space that serves around three lakh people living in and around Block H of Mirpur Section 2. Hearing of the petition is still going on.

Azharul Haque, deputy director of NHA, was present on the spot on Monday and told this correspondent that he was there to implement a government order and he would ensure implementation of the order amid any obstruction. "I am ordered to evict illegal structures and illegal occupations on the government land."

When asked if anyone claimed the piece of land, he said some locals had erected iron fence around the land and he would dismantle the fence.

Firoz Ahmed, an engineer from Mirpur zone housing estate office, warned this correspondent and asked him not to ask too many questions about the revised layout plan. ".... the decision was made 12 years ago and you should not talk much about that. You are talking too much. Be careful! We are on a government duty."

Ashiqur Rahman Bhulu, founder coordinator of cultural organisation Mukul Fouz at Mirpur section 6, was present on the scene and alleged that the housing authorities had taken a similar decision before when they revised the master plan and allotted the Mukul Fouz playground to developers for constructing apartment buildings.

The Mukul Fouz playground was a centre of cultural and social activities for the locals since the Pakistan era, Ashiq added.

"Going against the interest of the people, a number of unscrupulous housing officials have been involved in revising the master plan indiscriminately. These open spaces play a significant role as far as communal ties and cultural activities are concerned. The present government is weeding out corrupted elements from the society. And that's why we are hopeful that this government will come forward to save the few open spaces left in the city from the unscrupulous officials."

Ronny, a 12-year-old boy, told Star City that he and his younger sister used to play on the space in Block H since it was very close to their house and his parents could watch them from the house. "Now we won't be able to play there because the swing and park benches are taken away."