Govt to renovate stadiums nationwide
The government has undertaken a nationwide project to renovate district stadiums, sports complexes and swimming complexes to strengthen grassroots sports development and create a better platform for producing future athletes, State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque said.
He made the announcement while speaking to reporters after the first session of the fourth and final day of the Deputy Commissioners’ Conference held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Wednesday.
The session involved discussions with the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The state minister said the renovation initiative is aimed at making sports infrastructure across the country fully functional so that talented players can be nurtured from the grassroots in a planned manner.
He said the project would help build effective coordination from district to upazila and union levels, enabling wider youth participation in sports while also creating employment opportunities for the younger generation.
“If this continuity is maintained, a significant qualitative transformation can be achieved in family, social and national life within the next few years,” he said.
Highlighting the government’s ongoing ‘Notun Kuri Sports’ programme, Aminul said sports events are now being organised in district stadiums in all 64 districts, and he hoped a second phase of the initiative would be launched after completion of the current round.
Responding to a question about sports activities being hampered due to fairs at district-level stadiums and playgrounds, the state minister said no permission would be given in future to organise fairs inside stadium premises.
“In the past, permissions were often granted for holding fairs at stadiums. But since I took charge, no such permission has been given, and stadiums will no longer be used for fairs,” he said.
On the issue of using playgrounds for hawker rehabilitation by the two city corporations, Aminul said a joint inspection had already been carried out involving the two city corporations, three ministers and relevant secretaries.
He said any ground suitable for sports would not be allocated for hawker rehabilitation, adding that the ministry would hold further discussions if necessary to protect playgrounds meant for athletic activities.
