The Bangladesh government has announced plans to introduce a separate national sports competition for madrasah students as part of a broader strategy to increase participation in sport and strengthen sports infrastructure across the country.
The decision was taken during a recent inter-ministerial meeting at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, chaired by State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque, according to the meeting minutes.
Alongside the proposed tournament, the government approved several initiatives aimed at expanding access to sports facilities. These include developing an eight-bigha playground in every union, ensuring government primary school playgrounds remain open for children outside school hours and during weekly holidays, and constructing one futsal court for every two wards in city corporation areas.
Speaking at the meeting, Aminul Haque said improving access to sports facilities from major cities to rural communities was an important part of delivering the government’s election commitments.
He said investment in new playgrounds, the renovation of existing facilities and the expansion of sports infrastructure would provide young people with healthier opportunities, helping to reduce excessive use of mobile phones, internet dependency and drug abuse while supporting both physical and mental wellbeing.
Officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports said work to identify suitable land for playground development is already in progress under the government’s 180-day action plan.
The Technical and Madrasah Education Division agreed to organise a dedicated national-level sports competition exclusively for madrasah students, with the aim of encouraging greater participation in organised sport.
The division will oversee arrangements for the tournament, giving students from madrasah institutions an opportunity to compete at a national level.
To support the plan for union playgrounds, the state minister will send demi-official (DO) letters to deputy commissioners, asking them to identify and allocate eight bighas of land in their respective districts.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has been asked to ensure that playgrounds at government primary schools remain accessible to local children and teenagers after school and on weekly holidays.
The ministry will also provide updates on its ongoing project to develop playgrounds at 10,001 government primary schools.
The meeting also endorsed plans to expand futsal facilities, reflecting the sport’s increasing popularity among young people, by building one futsal court for every two wards in city corporation areas.
Several government agencies outlined potential sources of land for the initiative.
The Ministry of Land said acquired land could be allocated for sports facilities under existing regulations, while the Ministry of Water Resources reported that around 40 acres of land had already been identified for possible playground development.
The Ministry of Railways said unused or leased railway land could be made available for sports infrastructure through memorandums of understanding (MoUs).
Similarly, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works proposed renovating playgrounds managed by Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka South City Corporation, RAJUK and other government bodies through similar agreements.
To ensure consistency in future developments, the National Sports Council will prepare a standard design for playground construction across the country.
The meeting also directed all relevant ministries and government agencies to submit details of suitable land for playground development to the Ministry of Youth and Sports by 30 June, with the aim of accelerating implementation of the programme.
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