Children Park – a type of real social business

(example of MOON PARK & MOON HOUSE)

This was also published in The News Today 09 Dec 2010 and other blogs

http://www.newstoday.com.bd/index.php?option=details&news_id=14376&date=2010-12-09

http://www.bdcomcn.com/English-Articles/children-park-a-type-of-real-social-business-of-moon-park-a-moon-house.html

 http://bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidRecord=343086  



Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, of Bangladesh while addressing the prize giving ceremony of a painting competition at Dhaka Osmani Smriti Auditorium on October 18, 2010, has directed the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to recover all the children’s parks in the capital. The prime minister, according to UNB Dhaka, vowed to establish a safe and prosperous Bangladesh for every child.

Yes, there is no doubt that concerned authorities would try their best to recover all government children parks, no matter how successful they would be to maintain and keep the campaign according to given directives from the highest executive of the government. But I, like many others, am little wondered as to how much those local influential illegal occupants have gone regarding places like Children parks too. There is no need to emphasize the requirement of children parks for the over all development of a total Children. Considering their importance’s, government did their parts and hopefully would continue doing the best in this regard always. But we being the brothers and sisters, parents and relatives, teachers and lovers of every child also got to think and do exactly in the same way as our Prime Minister thought and gave directives.

Because the government can not establish more and more children parks all of a sudden, and because we all also have the morale and social responsibilities too for all the children, so, we got to also do some thing, either individually or being in a group. We may think of taking following measures to ensure so that more and more children get the facilities of Children parks:

1. Authorities of schools and other educational institutions may consider establishing children parks at their own premises, no matter how small or big those could be. They should also ensure the proper maintenances of all existing children parks.

2. Those who, specially at rural area, can effort to make few items of children park at their own premises may also make such facilities available for their own and local children. There are few such items directly related to physical exercises which don’t need lot of space, cost or electricity. Besides, such can be made with collective efforts too. Some one may also think of making the same at their roof top at city location too. The idea is so that every child gets the minimum facilities of Children Park.

3. Many rich people of our society already have hundreds and thousands of “Farm Houses” (bagan bari in bengali pronunciation) of their own. Those are indeed their spare houses out side the city areas mostly for their personal leisure and pleasure. Of course I am not trying to say any thing against their farm houses, however, would like to humbly suggest so that they could also think of making those, whole or part of those, in to some thing like children park for the local children and thus allow local children to play there either free of cost or with little ticket money. We always talk about social responsibilities and social businesses. Arranging such facilities for the children could be one of the best social responsibilities. Again the concepts of social businesses often emphasized by our Noble Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus are known to the whole world and also widely discussed. So, from that point of view too, some token ticket money may also be charged from incoming children, however, the ticket fee got to be within affordable limit of those rural parents too.

Frankly speaking, I won’t suggest any of above if I won’t believe on those totally. I use to always think in the past about these children park facilities for our rural poor children. That is the reason I tried to establish two such children park at my own according to my personal interest, planning, limited economic capabilities and efforts. Spending my pension money, I have established one Children park named Moon Park at village PIRUJALI in General Area Hotapara, Gazipur. The area is near writer Humayun Ahmed’s Nuhash Polli and really green and comfortable in all seasons.

Well, for this case, I tried to establish and experiences by myself first and then now trying to suggest some thing for others too. It is said in the religion also that you try to do the same first before you suggest the same to others. When ever, I heard or read about the social businesses expressed by noble laureate Dr. Yunus, tried to think and identify as to how many types of social businesses could there be, specially for a country like Bangladesh? I also tried to think always as to what maximum social benefits can be offered with what minimum charges from different types of social businesses. Well, there can be many different types, but, for me, I have desired to do some thing related to children’s health, enjoyment, excitement, mental growth, physical exercise etc, and so thought of establishing one children park for them as part of so-well-discussed social business.

Now at this stage, being little encouraged by the noble directives of honorable prime minister of Bangladesh, I have only one aim of mentioning this as an example and that is, so that others who are interested may also establish such children parks at different parts of our country. Besides, those who are already having their Farm Houses (bagan bari) may also become interested as well as feel responsible to tern their those farm houses, part or whole, into children park for the local rural children and allow them to play either free of charge or with little token ticket money.

“Moon Park” is a small eco friendly green garden which is also used for picnic or outing spot for those city people who may afford to rent it and be interested to enjoy the green nature as part of their rest and refreshment. However, the focus is always given to the local children’s playing and that is why the word “park” is associated with it’s name. Any one may be wondered to know that a local child may visit and play at Moon Park with only taka ten ($ US 10 cents only) per person. The Moon Park was inaugurated on 14 April 2010 (pohela boishak) through arrangement of boishakhi mela (local fair organized on the bengali new year) where all the incoming children along with their parents, friends and relatives were allowed to go inside and play with free of charge. Surprisingly the total presence on that very single day crossed the figure 2500 (almost 100% children of that general area) which really proved in my mind that, yes, our children really need such facilities. I also felt very comfortable inside for being able to make one such park for our rural children. The smiling faces of our rural deprived children are still in my memories, pictures of which can also be shared by readers from below web link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/113734232071731875096/MoonPark#

“Moon House” is also another such place, same eco friendly garden with children park facilities where children can not only play but also see life birds and fishes. No matter how many facilities children are enjoying inside but only taka 30 ($ US 40 cents only) is charged per person. It is designed to be a real safe house for the playing of children and that is why the word “house” is associated with it’s name.

It may be mention that the eco friendly green gardens of both Moon Park and Moon House are also attracting foreigners and as such contributing to the tourism in Bangladesh too. Hope the scope of tourism in this sector would also increase in future.

I hope both Moon Park and Moon House would be able to contribute for children’s playing in the long run as part of social businesses in real sense. I also hope that many other persons having similar feelings like me would also try to do some thing better for our children which are so necessary for their total development. Children would carry us forward, they are our future hopes and so we must do our best to do best for them.

For those who may be interested to know about Moon House and Moon Park for their picnic or outing purposes may also brows below web link:

http://www.moonhousemoonpark.com/

 email: moonhouse.moonpark@gmail.com,

When his other fellows, with an amazed view, since they knew his past records, asked him the reason of his unusual demand, he described to them simply like that, ”The villagers put the danger signboard over the well in which I dropped into just after my tragic death, however more than 50 were died in the same manner before me.”

“So, what do you think? Am I not be the soldier of fortune for them?” he threw the question to all and took a deep breathe. The rest couldn’t utter anything, remained ridiculously silent.

Just like us. We can not cheer for that disappointed man as well as we can not urge the villagers to reward him either.

Actually, this “awake up” call came when the most successful Bangladesh cricket-captain Habibul Bashar, the hattrick-man Alok Kapali and promising hard-hitter Aftab Ahmed and others created an awareness, through their early retirement announcement followed by ICL involvement in last September.

They unknowingly and obviously unwillingly made the other “warriors” very cautious regarding their future career; that is ultimately making Bashar & Co. fortunate, very fortunate indeed.

One may even put the “tragic hero” banner upon them as they have been carrying the Bangladeshi flag; they have already grabbed a victory against Delhi Giants by a good margin of 62 runs but still are far….far away from the heartiest gallery support and nation celebrating festive mode.

Again, at home, we are celebrating the first ODI victory over Kiwis, on the other hand, the whole nation has to be officially (!) absolutely calm and quite on Dhaka Warriors’ success.

Even Alok Kapali did not get the enough exposure from his countrymen after hammering that lighting and maiden century of Indian cricket league (ICL) against Hyderabad Heroes on Wednesday, Oct 15.

How long it will continue? Or, how far one can let it go like this way? The cold-war between two great personalities of India can not deprive others from showing affection to his or her country anymore.

May be it is not so big deal for Bashar and Tapash Baishya, as they have already past their golden time, may have nothing more to cherish for in life but other players like Farhad Reza and Dhiman Ghosh did not get much opportunity to show their talent on international level ; or highest level; more precisely can be said.

For them banned for ten long years in international level is like shutting the door before it was just opened fully.

Although keeping no hope left for future, the ICC Officials’ current role on ICL issue making this topic more clumsy and foggy day by day. The powerful and multi millionaire BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) won’t even grant the permission others to talk about this issue. They have been dominating the entire cricket world shamelessly.

The BCCI is also showing tremendous arrogances to the ZEE telefilms owned by Shubash Chandra, who’s highly accomplished business brain along with his marketing director Himanshu Modi’s one; has developed the idea of ICL and scratching players of other national team to make rich, make people bound to give an curious eye on it.

But now the time has come, the ICC governing body chaired by President David Morgan to show their activeness in cricket. They should take a firm action to stop the on going controversy.

Otherwise, like recently post-pawned Sri lanka-England tour; that was scheduled to be held in next year, will happen more often. Though this cancellation of series does not go with the legal version of ICL—IPL, as Lalit Modi, Indian Cricket League’s commissioner, said.

The inter link arises when Marvan Attapattu, Upol chandona, Mahela Jayabardhane are found to be content with the permission came from Sri lankan Cricket Board (SCB) for playing in ICL and IPL respectively.

We all know, fortunes favors the brave….but the question is whom shall we call the brave? What is the ultimate definition of bravery? The ones who breaks the existing rule and take the risk at even the cost of their own lives like Bashar and Aftab?

Or those who just stay inside the barrier and successfully do what they should do or ought to do like our new debutant tigers Junaid Siddique, Naeem Islam.

May be the debate will never see an end; though now as a cricket-lover Bangladeshi nation we all eagerly waiting for a clear cut guideline to decide it; specially after the present ICL storm over Bangladesh and New Zealand tour.

“Either banned it or raise the bar from it “so that the youngsters can make more and more money out of cricket.

If the globalization of cricket is been given the most priority and money is the only factor that matters in present days to bring best glory for the nation then why the players to be restricted from earning it?

As it said at first, like that man in heaven, Bashar, Aftab and Alok are showing the way others to earn more money , making path for new comers, creating occasion for the country to rejoice, may be in a little aggressive way, but not getting a single word of acknowledgment.

So, who else can be the soldier of fortune now?

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Humayra Ferdous is a budding journalist and sports writer.