Secretariat relocation plan scraped

The government has backtracked from its previous initiative to relocate the Bangladesh Secretariat, the central hub of the government's administrative activities, to an open space at Agargaon, which is well known as 'Trade Fair' ground.
Instead of relocating the Secretariat there, the government is mulling to establish a park at the huge open space by creating a green zone and other facilities of a park, so that the dwellers of Dhaka city can take breaths smoothly.
To establish the park, the Public Works Department (PWD) has already prepared a draft Development Project Proposal (DPP) estimating overall cost of the project. The proposal of the project might be send to the Planning Commission soon for the approval of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC), according to the officials of the PWD.
While talking to this correspondent, PWD Executive Engineer Abdullah Mohammad Zobair told they have prepared a draft DPP of Tk 100 crore for establishing the park.
"The draft DPP was prepared keeping the facilities of walkways and sports for the children and all aged people. A water reservoir would also be kept in the project area. The draft DPP would be sent to the Planning Commission soon," he assured.
After resuming power in 2009, the Awami League government had taken an initiative to relocate the Secretariat to the Trade Fair Ground in Agargaon. A project of Tk 2,000 crore was also taken.
But, the move stopped after getting the design of the entire Jatiya Sangsad complex made by US architect Louis Kahn.
In the design, there was a provision of having only four 9-storied buildings in the Jatiya Sangsad area. Besides, it also suggested keeping an auditorium, a conference centre, mosque, bank, post office and a parking area of 1,000 cars in the area.