No steps yet to renovate Patuakhali stadium
Patuakhali district stadium has remained virtually unusable since a portion of its main building and the gallery collapsed three years ago.
Sports programmes are badly hampered due to the situation.
The 35,000 sft stadium having capacity of accommodating 10,000 people was built in the district town in 1977-78 fiscal year.
But no renovation work was done in last 15 years and finally a portion of front side of the stadium collapsed on September 10 in 2011.
District administration organises different national programmes including March 26 Independence Day, December 16 Victory Day at the stadium but people attending the programmes here face life risk due to the dilapidated condition of the stadium.
Players hardly come to the stadium as it poses risk of collapse anytime, said Badol Halder, football trainer of Patuakhali District Sports Association.
"Through regular practice at the stadium, earlier many local players developed as skilled sportsmen and got chance in different Dhaka-based clubs, and even in the national team. But now sports activities are greatly hampered here and in absence of opportunity for proper practice, the district fails to produce new high quality players," said Zia Uddin, former hockey player.
The authorities should take necessary step to renovate the stadium as soon as possible, said national cricketer Sohag Gazi, hailing from Patuakhali.
Aminul Haque Mamun, acting secretary of district sports association, said, "We run official work inside the building amid risk. National Sports Council in 2009 took a project to build 15 stadiums across the country, including one in Patuakhali district, but the work for the stadium here is yet to start."
However, work for a Tk 2.66 lakh project to build a new pavilion at the old stadium is likely to start very soon, he said.
"We have informed the higher authorities concerned of the condition of the existing stadium," said Patuakhali Deputy Commissioner Amitav Sarker.
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