Published on 12:00 AM, February 20, 2018

Reclaiming the joy of childhood

Children in Bangladesh are now the sufferers of a new type of crisis- a childhood without outdoor activities and the simple joys it held. While this is mostly a concern attributed to the urban residents, in general it is reaching every corner of the country. With the advent of technology, more time is spent on easy screen based entertainment. To address this, Surf Excel Bangladesh and Prothom Alo arranged a roundtable discussion titled, "Anandamoy Shoishab Chai" at Prothom Alo's office in Dhaka on February 10, 2018.

Among the guests were  representatives from Save the Children, UNICEF, Manusher Jonno Foundation, Ministry of Women & Children, Plan International, BLAST, Psychiatrists, individuals from entertainment, sports and education sector, etc. – all of whom work around children's development. This discussion is meant to work as the groundwork for the initiative that Surf Excel Bangladesh is pursuing to ensure a healthy childhood for the future minds of Bangladesh.

During the discussion, all types of concerns, from play time hampering with studies to safety issues as well as lack of playgrounds were voiced. But most significantly, the main concern was to keep the momentum going with strong actions instead of just sticking to words only. As a brand that encourages stains as part of learning, Surf Excel Bangladesh is working to ensure that children do not lose their basic right of outdoor play.