Children in Sylhet are deprived of games and recreation facilities due to lack of sufficient playgrounds and open spaces.
Just a few years ago, the kids in the neighbourhoods were used to be seen playing cricket, football or gollachhut in the afternoon as the city had many open spaces and playgrounds.
However, the spaces began to shrink with the onslaught of unplanned urbanisation.
Now, children in the city are either seen playing in garages and narrow lanes or addicted to gadgets like computers and smartphones.
Losing approximately 39 open playgrounds since 2002, Sylhet city has only around 15 playing fields now. Of which 13 are located in educational institutions.
According to Sylhet City Corporation (SCC), the city houses playgrounds at Upashahar, Baluchar, Pathantola, Meerabazar, Shibganj, Tantipara and Gotatikar. Though there is a large playground at Lamabazar, it is not open to all.
Sources in the SCC said, Sylhet had a population of 2,63,197 in 2002 but it is around 6.5 lakh now.
Lack of playground and open space is a hindrance to smooth physical and mental development of the children, observe doctors and guardians.
Prabhat Ranjan Dey, child specialist at MAG Osmani Medical College told Prothom Alo urban child obesity is rising fast in Sylhet city as kids cannot burn calories due to reduced physical activities.
Lily Begum who shifted to Sylhet city with her nine-year-old son Mustakeen Nayeem from Sunamganj’s Jagannathpur said, “My son used to play outside when we were in Sunamganj. But he now has no scope for playing outdoor games here. Consequently, he is gaining extra weight and recently started wearing spectacles, too.”
Enamul Habib, chief executive officer of the SCC said the city should have had 27 playgrounds considering its density of population.
-Prothom Alo