HPM Sheikh Hasina inaugurates amphitheater, fountain at Hatirjheel

Opening the two establishments through video conferencing from Ganabhaban on Thursday morning, the prime minister called upon the people to keep the project area neat and clean. "It's a responsibility of the citizens to protect the beauty of the area and keep it wastes-free when they will visit the site ... I want that you will show that consciousness," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the people have a bad habit of throwing empty bottles and waste papers into water or roads. "So, I would like to request the people to remain alert to this end and not to throw wastes here and there in Hatirjheel area," she said.

In this connection, the prime minister urged the people to put the wastes in specific places instead of throwing here and there.

Sheikh Hasina said Islam also says to remain neat and clean and it is the Muslims who started the practice of staying neat and clean.

The prime minister said Hatirjheel project is involved in keeping free other adjacent areas from water logging. Besides, it is keeping that areas traffic jam free and water bus services have been introduced in the project lakes for smooth movement of the people of the area, she said.

The prime minister said entertainment is a must for the people who are leading a busy and struggling life. "Keeping this in mind, we're making arrangement for entertainment for the people side by side with ensuring their socioeconomic development," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government is making efforts to make easy the life of the countrymen by fulfilling their basic needs like food security, medicare, housing, education and employment.

Terming amphitheater, musical dancing fountain as a new addition to entertainment, the premier congratulated all concerned who are involved in constructing new establishments.

The amphitheater and the largest musical dancing fountain in South Asia, with capacity of 2000 audience, have been constructed on the water of Hatirjheel lake to give a new facelift to the project.

Bangladesh Army's Special Works Organization (SWO-West) implemented the project with the patronization of Housing and Public Works Ministry, Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakhya (RAJUK) and Dhaka WASA.

Chief of Army Staff General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Haque spoke at the function.

Project Director Major General Abu Sayeed Mohammad Masud highlighted various key features of the fountain and amphitheater through power point presentation.

Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury and LGRD Minister Engineer Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain were present on the dais, while PM's Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury moderated the function.

Narrating attractive features of amphitheatre, the project director said the amphitheatre would be looking like a flower with petals due to its eye-catching construction technic, circular structure and very beautiful colour design.

Besides, a 120-meter-long colourful fountain has also been constructed there and such a structure would create an environment of floating stage on the water in the minds of the audience.

This colorful fountain has time-controlled sound wave and musical track which created a tridimensional structure.

The Hatirjheel project has been implemented from the Bengunbari Khal, southern part of the Hotel Sonargaon, and at the middle point of Rampura Bridge after going through Tongi Diversion Road.

The project area has been increased to 311.79 acres from the existing 244.74 acres while some 8.80 kilometers service road and some 8.80 kilometers expressway have been constructed under this project.

Besides, two water taxi terminals and four deep tube wells were also set up under the Hatirjheel project.

Under the project, four bridges, three viaducts, four overpasses, 8.80 kilometer footpaths, 9.80 kilometer walkways, one children park, 13 viewing decks would be constructed.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Hatirjheel Project on January 2 in 2013.