The Bangladesh government will continue efforts to free parks, playgrounds and public open spaces from illegal occupation while expanding access to sporting facilities for children, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has told parliament.
Responding to lawmakers during a question-and-answer session in the Jatiya Sangsad on Wednesday, the prime minister said improving sports infrastructure and protecting public recreational spaces remained key priorities for the government.
He said significant progress had already been made in Dhaka since the current administration took office, with eviction drives allowing many parks and playgrounds to be restored for public use. Modernisation work is also continuing at several sites to improve facilities and make them safer for residents.
According to the prime minister, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) oversees 189 parks, playgrounds and other open spaces. Of these, the city corporation directly owns 38, including 24 parks, six playgrounds, four children’s parks and four Eidgah grounds.
He said those 38 facilities are now free from illegal occupation and are being managed under a planned system. Measures such as appointing security guards, installing improved lighting and CCTV cameras, and increasing public awareness are also being introduced to enhance safety.
Development work has already been completed at 20 parks, four playgrounds, two children’s parks and two Eidgah grounds under the DNCC. The remaining 151 open spaces, which are owned by agencies including RAJUK and the National Housing Authority, will be upgraded gradually in future phases, he added.
The prime minister also announced plans to introduce a new football competition for young pupils as part of efforts to encourage greater participation in sport.
The prime minister also said eviction campaigns had been carried out across all parks and playgrounds within the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), where 256 recreational spaces are managed by the city corporation and other public agencies.
He said restoration and improvement work is continuing at several locations across the capital, including Malitola Park, Shaheed Matiur Rahman Park, Motijheel Park, Nawabganj Park, Osmani Udyan, Jatrabari Children’s Park and several other parks and playgrounds in different neighbourhoods.
Outside the capital, Tarique Rahman acknowledged that Gazipur has relatively few dedicated playgrounds.
However, he said the city corporation is providing financial support to maintain sports facilities at educational and religious institutions.
He added that the government intends to establish eight playgrounds across Gazipur’s administrative zones and another 57 playgrounds in its 57 wards.
He told parliament that the Prime Minister Gold Cup football tournament for primary school children is expected to begin in 2027. The competition will initially be limited to primary schools before being expanded to the secondary level at a later stage.
Speaking in response to a supplementary question from a government lawmaker, Tarique Rahman said the government viewed organised sport as an important part of children’s physical and social development.
The prime minister said similar efforts are under way in other city corporations, including Mymensingh and Barishal, where authorities are working to recover parks and playgrounds from illegal occupation and return them to public use.
He said the government would continue these initiatives nationwide to improve public access to recreational spaces and strengthen opportunities for children and young people to participate in sport.
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