Children suffer for lack of playgrounds
Children in the town are deprived of games and recreation facilities due to lack of sufficient playgrounds and open spaces.
Surprisingly, no children's park was set up in the municipality area since its establishment in 1876.
The situation is not conducive to smooth physical and mental development of the children, observe doctors and guardians.
The municipality comprises nine wards and has a population of about 2.5 lakh. Unplanned construction over the recent years has turned it into a concrete jungle.
Most of the children in the town do not know swimming as most of the water bodies and ponds in the municipal area have already been filled up for construction work and other purposes, locals said
“My three school going children spend quite a long time watching television, especially Hindi serials on different channels, as there is no playground or open space near my house. I know it is not good for them but what can I do? Where will they go to play?,” said businessman Azizur Rashid of local housing estate.
Non-government rural worker Monu Gupta said, "Majority of the children in the town are students of private schools but most of these schools do not have any playground or open space."
"Besides, a large number of children working at tea stalls, hotels, restaurants, workshops, factories, shops and other places in the municipal area have hardly any recreational facilities", he added.
Unplanned construction of numerous dwelling houses and commercial structures across the municipal area ate up the open spaces while the authorities seem to be indifferent to the necessity of children's play and recreation, observed several senior citizens of Noakhali municipality.
Harunur Rashid Azad, mayor of Noakhali municipality said, “We are very much aware about the problem. We have already planned to set up parks and create other recreational facilities for children in the municipal area within a very short time.”
"We are preparing a proposal in this regard to submit it to the Ministry of Local Government", he added.
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