DHAKA: After the Gazipur mass protests, speakers at a demonstration in the capital Saturday said the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) mooted by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) is aimed at evicting middle-and lower middle-class people from Narayanganj district.

They termed RAJUK a ‘den of corruption’ and said the government’s property-development agency for the capital wants to evict all the middle-and lower middle-class people from the capital as well as through its extension under the ‘so-called DAP’.


“We did not come here to speak ill of the government. This is our government as well. We gathered here to save the capital and protest the implementation of DAP,” said former Ambassador and executive director of Heritage Foundation Wali-ur Rahman at the human-chain demonstration.

The human chain was formed in front of the National Press Club to protest implementation of the much-talked-about DAP. The demonstrators, carrying placards and festoons with slogans against the Plan, formed the chain for half an hour under the aegis of Paribartan Foundation.

Rahman said the DAP should have been planned with inputs from all the lawmakers elected from the capital. “But, the RAJUK did not include their opinion,” he said.

He referred to the ‘mass upsurge’ at Gazipur and subsequent assurance from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said, “The government cannot do anything that hurts the interest of the people.”

“That is why the PM formed a committee comprising seven ministries,” he said, adding, “The DAP project should be implemented after getting opinions from the committee and discussing it with the lawmakers of Dhaka.”

Narayanganj BNP president and Legal Affairs Secretary of the opposition BNP Taimur Alam Khondoker said, “We have gathered here to protest and resist a decision by the government that will hurt the people. Implementation of DAP will create an anarchy for the poor people and it will affect the capital, too.”

“I came here on behalf of the people of Narayanganj to protest implementation of DAP,” he told the gathering, dubbing RAJUK as a ‘den of corruption’.

“For RAJUK, many people have lost their lands and houses. The corruption of RAJUK will be visible if anyone visits Rupganj. Most of Rupganj’s lands were grabbed,” he said, urging the government to take opinion of the people on DAP before going for implementing it.

Taimur said, “We are not opposing modernization of Dhaka. But we cannot accept or support any suicidal decision that would affect the capital.”

Chief Coordinator of Bangladesh Shikkhak-Karmachai Oikya Parishad Principal Selim Bhuiyan said the DAP must be suspended immediately.

“If the implementation of DAP is not suspended immediately, half the population of the capital will lose their lands. It will also create mass upsurge in Narayanganj like it took place in Gazipur,” he said.

Bhuiyan also warned of stern agitation programme by teachers against its implementation.

Vice-chairman of the Centre for Democracy Research Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal said a “deep conspiracy” is going on over DAP that goes against the interest of the lower-income group. “This will ultimately hurt the middle-class and the lower-middle-class people by way of their eviction from their dwelling places,” he said.

“Put off DAP immediately, or else face mass upsurge,” Iqbal warned the government authorities.

Paribartan Foundation president Delwar Hossain Faruk and member Zahirul Huq Mintu were also present at the demonstration.

BDST 1250 HRS, JULY 10, 2010