Public recreation spots thrive in Barishal city
Kirtankhola embankment and Bangabandhu Udyan bring much-needed refreshment to citizens
The recreational spots of Barishal are returning to life as people get out for some fresh air on the banks of river Kirtankhola and Bangabandhu Udyan.
People of all ages are visiting the spots with their friends and family as fear of the virus has lessened with the arrival of the vaccine.
Educational institutions have been closed for a while and there is no other way for young people to keep themselves entertained from time to time, said people operating food stalls inside the recreational spots.
Visiting Bangabandhu Udyan after 5pm, this correspondent found hundreds of people enjoying the greenery of the park. Rafiq, a singara seller in the park, said he sells the fried snack every day from 4-10pm. A fellow tea seller of his said at least a thousand cups of tea are sold in the park every day.
Mridula Talukder, who brought her son to the park, said the big green field of the park is a treat to the child and the lake next to it adds to the beauty of the place.
Meanwhile, the three-kilometre long embankment on the west back of river Kirtankhola is now a major recreational centre of Barishal city.
Rahim Mia, a coconut seller on the spot, said over a thousand people visit the area every day.
There is a monument on the genocide committed by Pakistan army during the Liberation War of Bangladesh that is supervised by the district administration.
Maruf Ahmed Bappi travelled with his two daughters to Barishal. "The kids have had to stay indoors the whole time during the pandemic. This change of scenery has really made them happy."
Barisal City Corporation Administrative Officer Moazzem Hossain said that thousands of people visit the banks of Kirtankhola every day. BCC has built this embankment and set up lighting and other facilities that are required at a recreational centre.
On the importance of such recreational spots, Dasgupta Ashish Kumar, advisor to the Barisal Regional Teachers' Association, said this refreshment is imperative for the physical and mental development and well-being of children, especially since they have been staying cooped up in the house for so long.
Mental health specialist Tapan Kumar Saha, who is a retired professor of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH), echoed Ashish Kumar's statement, saying travelling is effective in maintaining good mental health for people of all ages.