Playground woes
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
Dhaka City is a megapolis. Its neighbourhoods are packed with people. The residents live and work in this city as do their children who also study and play in the same city.
There are many playgrounds in the city but as the population has risen manifold since the city was planned ages earlier.
And in a number of cases, influential people have encroached on the existing grounds making them smaller. In other words, the space for young people to engage in sports is fast disappearing.
Another problem is that some of the fields are frequently used for purposes other than sports. An example is what is called the T&T field in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar adjacent to Indira Road. Everyday the field is full of young people engaged in one sport or another. In the evening, people sit in the field to pass the time. But there is another side to this field. It is frequently used for one fair or another. The stalls are set up occupying nearly all of the field and goes on for weeks. This happens round the year.
The question is, shouldn't those playing grounds that have been appropriated illegally by others be restored. If the RANGS building can come down so can those fields be cleared of illegal occupation. As for fairs, if they are to be held, there should be some designated places for them in the city, not on playgrounds, please.
Sadruddin Ahmed
West Rajabazar
Dhaka
There are many playgrounds in the city but as the population has risen manifold since the city was planned ages earlier.
And in a number of cases, influential people have encroached on the existing grounds making them smaller. In other words, the space for young people to engage in sports is fast disappearing.
Another problem is that some of the fields are frequently used for purposes other than sports. An example is what is called the T&T field in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar adjacent to Indira Road. Everyday the field is full of young people engaged in one sport or another. In the evening, people sit in the field to pass the time. But there is another side to this field. It is frequently used for one fair or another. The stalls are set up occupying nearly all of the field and goes on for weeks. This happens round the year.
The question is, shouldn't those playing grounds that have been appropriated illegally by others be restored. If the RANGS building can come down so can those fields be cleared of illegal occupation. As for fairs, if they are to be held, there should be some designated places for them in the city, not on playgrounds, please.
Sadruddin Ahmed
West Rajabazar
Dhaka