Both the mind and the body demand to wander in the fresh air on the weekends after going through heavy work loads throughout the week. And if it is a scenic park in the city, then the whole day is successful. The whole body gets the fuel to work in full force for the coming week. Some of the most beautiful parks under Dhaka City Corporation are still dedicated to refreshing the tired minds of its citizens. Let’s find some scenic parks in Dhaka to breathe in fresh air and spend some quality time.
Top 7 Scenic Public Parks in Dhaka City
Ramna Park
Located at Shahbag in Dhaka, this public park is built around a magnificent lake. Its main feature is that every year a new Bengali New Year celebration is held at the base of the great Banyan tree inside Ramna park. The cultural organization Chhayanat has been organizing the program since the first Baishakh of 1967 or 1374 Bengali year.
At the time of its establishment i.e. in 1610, during the Mughal period, Ramna Park was extended from the old High Court building to the present road building.
Every day from the early morning, Ramna Park gets louder at the footsteps of people coming for exercise and the chirping of various species of birds. On holidays the place becomes the most crowded place with people of all ages.
Botanical Garden
National Botanical Garden is considered to be the largest center for plant species conservation, research, and exhibition in Bangladesh. This public park is adjacent to Mirpur in Dhaka. Founded in 1961, the herbarium is home to a vast collection of about 800 species of plants, including rare and exotic plants. Its small lake and the artificial island built in the middle of the lake draw the attention of every visitor.
From March to November the Botanical Garden is open to visitors daily from 9 am to 5 pm, but from December to February it is closed from 4:30 pm. The entrance fee to the Botanical Garden is BDT 20 per head.
As it is located next to the Bangladesh National Zoo, it attracts a lot of visitors during the holidays.
Chandrima Udyan
The park adjacent to Crescent Lake is known as Chandrima Udyan. This area is located opposite the Parliament House, the heart of Dhaka city. The park was built in 1981 around the tomb of the former President of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman.
Stairs are nicely built along Crescent Lake. The beauty of the park is multiplied by the beautiful hanging bridge over the lake. There are two fountains on either side of the bridge which are opened after dusk. Then the whole lake is filled with magical beauty.
Inside the park, there are two beautiful gardens, a memorial hall, and a mosque. Many people visit this open place every day for various purposes such as, walking, jogging, exercising, meeting friends, enjoying family days out, etc. Besides these, the whole park keeps noisy with the footsteps of the wanderlust people on different occasions.
Park Surrounding Dhanmondi Lake
Dhanmondi Lake covers a large part of the Dhanmondi residential area of Dhaka. The Lake is about 3 km long and extends from Road No. 2 to Dhanmondi Road No. 27.
Dhanmondi Lake is surrounded by beautiful shady gardens with beautiful walkways, exercise areas, and benches. There are also arrangements for fishing and boating in the lake. Some small restaurants and food courts have been set up to cater to the needs of the visitors.
Rabindra Sarobar is the center of all the attractions of Dhanmondi Lake. Cultural events and fairs are organized around this place on different occasions.
Visitors can visit this public park, which is open from 5 am to 10 pm, without any entry fee.
Sohrawardi Udyan
Once popularly known as Ramna Racecourse Ground, this place is now known as Suhrawardy Udyan. This public park is located in the center of Dhaka. It is a national memento because Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered his speech here on March 7.
Shikha Chirantan was installed in this place in 1999 to commemorate the historical events related to the independence of Bangladesh. At the same time, the Independence Tower is built next to the place where the Pakistani army formally signed the surrender document on December 16, 1971. One of the main attractions of the tower is the 273 feet long mural called Janatar Deyal.
Besides, there is an artificial lake in Suhrawardy Udyan. At the bottom of the terracotta mural, the Museum of Independence is situated.
Osmani Udyan
Osmani Udyan is located adjacent to Nagar Bhaban and the Secretariat in Gulistan, Dhaka. The park’s name originates from Lieutenant General Mohammad Ataul Gani Osmani who served as the commander of the liberation war in 1971.
The Udyan has been divided into 11 sections like 11 sectors of the liberation war to keep the memory of the war of independence bright.
Also surrounded by greenery, this public park has a parade of Mir Jumla cannons, the commander-in-chief of Emperor Aurangzeb. This park is enriched with two lakes and two artificial sand islands.
All visitors have free access to Osmani Udyan seven days a week. Visitors can stay at Osmani Udyan from 5 am to 9 pm in summer and from 6 am to 8 pm in winter.
Uttara Sector-7 Park
Dhaka North City Corporation undertook plans to build 22 parks and 4 playgrounds under the Modernization, Development, and Greening Project. As a product of those plans, the park in Uttara Sector 7 was inaugurated on September 21, 2019.
The park has recreational facilities for visitors of all ages, ample seating, and a walkway of about 750 meters. In this park, recreational facilities include, a slipper for the children, two swings, a small space for playing cricket, and a completely separate bicycle lane. At the same time, about 100 species of trees have been planted in a planned manner.
Adequate lighting is being provided so that the common people can sit in the park at evening or night after returning from work. Proper security measures have also been put in place.
Piling up
These scenic public parks in Dhaka have been beautifying the capital for a long time. Due to lack of adequate care and security, these places are losing their natural charm day by day. Visitors have to play a huge role in preserving the environment of these public parks. Inside each park, there is a designated place for dumping the garbage. The visitors should make proper use of these places, instead of throwing wastes here and there. Thus, the public parks will survive and residents of Dhaka city will get the opportunity to breathe in fresh air and spend some quality time with their loved ones.
Source: United News of Bangladesh