The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sarker Nazrul Islam

The Shaheed Zia Shishu Park in the heart of the capital needs replacement of old rides, modernisation of equipment and development of infrastructure for the amusement of children.

Standingh over 14 acres of land on the northern end of Suhrawardy Uddayan and western part of the famous Ramna Green, the park is visited by over seven lakh children annually. Its annual income is around Tk 2 crore.

The income of the park will go up substantially if the outdated rides are replaced and equipment modernised. Some renovation work will also add to the attraction of the park, according to some guardians of children.

Some other people have stressed the need for strengthening the security arrangements in the park. It also needs sufficient lighting for the safety of nearly three thousand children who visit it every day and stay there still late evening, they said.

The park was named after the late president Ziaur Rahman as it was his brainchild. Bangla-desh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) established it in 1979 at the initiative of Ziaur Rahman and handed over it to Dhaka City Corporation in 1983.

Siddiqur Rahman, Administrator of the park, said the park has 14 rides including wonder wheel, flying planes, space shuttles and merry-go-round.

The out of order F6 fighter jet presented by the Bangladesh Air Force in 1996 deeply draws the curiosity and attention of the children visiting the park.

The entry fee into the park is Tk 8 only.

The poor and street children can visit the park on every Wednesday without any fee and can enjoy the rides and other entertainments.

Park sources said renovation and expansion work of the park is now under active consideration of the concerned authority.

Shaheed Zia Park is still on top in comparison to other private children parks like Nandan, Fantasy Kingdom, Wonderland in and outside the city as a large number of children visited it every day.