C T Online Desk: Addressing a press briefing at his secretariat office in Dhaka, the home minister said that he was making this announcement as per a directive from the prime minister

He, however, said that the field would remain under the supervision of the police and that the local people would be able to use the empty place of the playing field.

The announcement came amid protests from different rights, cultural, social and political groups against the construction of the Kalabagan police station at the playground.

The protesters erupted in joy as they came to know the decision and thanked the prime minister for her timely decision.

Institute of Architects Bangladesh president Mubasshar Hussein, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder and trustee Zafrullah Chowdhury, former caretaker government adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury and Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association chief executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan spoke at a press conference among others later in the afternoon when they welcomed the decision.

Residents in the area expressed satisfaction over the decision and demanded the police hand over the ground to Dhaka South City Corporation to turn it into a proper playground.

Jamir Hossain, a resident adjacent to Tetultala playground, said they fear trouble in future as the place still belongs to the police as per the official document.

‘Our protest will continue until the playground is handed back to the Dhaka South City Corporation. We urge the mayor to take steps in this regard,’ he said.

On April 24, Kalabagan police picked up cultural activist Syeda Ratna and her underage son for leading protests to protect the Tetultala playground.

They were released after about 13 hours of detention in police custody.

The police took an undertaking that she would not get involved in any protests to protect the playground.

Syeda Ratna told New Age on Thursday that she could not express her joy in words as the home minister directed not to construct the police station at the Tentultala playground following a directive from prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

‘We urge the government to hand over the playground to the city corporation so that no one could grab it in future,’ she said, adding that if the land belongs to the police they may occupy it in future.

She said that they protested for more than two years to save the playground and the result came now.

Local residents, rights groups, cultural activists, and social and political groups were protesting for the last few days demanding an immediate stoppage of the construction workers on the playground.

The home minister on Wednesday told reporters that the field was never a playground. The protesters said that the place was marked as an open space in the Detailed Area Plan.