Scarcity of playgrounds

Gone are the days when many of the residents of a community would all gather at the playing field. That sense of “attending” such social gatherings are a rarity today, especially in the capital.

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and Power and Participation Research Center (PPRC), only two percent of children have access to playgrounds. The lack of playing fields have had a tremendous outcome—children are turning to digital devices more and more! The impact of such activities will be devastating in the long run.

It is extremely alarming the rate at which young people are using digital devices, with many of them already addicted. The World Health Organization (WHO) advised that children under the age of 5 to 10 years should spend at least one hour a day on the playground for their proper growth.

But kids who are living in urban areas don’t have that opportunity. As they continue to distance themselves from the community, their ability to mature mentally is harmed.

Naymur Rahman, East West University