Dhaka lacks 795 playgrounds to meet standard: Study

There is a shortage of 795 playgrounds in Dhaka, the densely populated capital, while Chattogram lacks 541, to meet the urban planning standard, a new study has revealed.

At present, the numbers of playgrounds shortage is 37 in Rajshahi, 65 in Khulna, 40 in Sylhet and 45 in Barishal, a study by the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD) found.

The study was unveiled at a dialogue on urban planning and playground-public space crisis in Dhaka, jointly organised by the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD), Save The Children and Urban Development Journalist Forum, Bangladesh (UDJFB), on Wednesday.

Presenting the main article, Adil Muhammad Khan, executive director of the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD), said in densely populated urban areas, one playground is needed for every 3,000-5000 individuals under three age groups – children (3-6 years), teenagers (7-15 years) and adults (above 15 years), according to planning criteria.

As per the internationally accepted Time Sender standard of planning indicators, each 1,000 people under three age groups in the urban areas of Bangladesh need to have a play-lot facility of 0.51 acres, a playground of 1.5 - 3 acres, and a play-field of 1.5-15 acres.

No initiative has been observed so far to plan three types of playgrounds for children and adolescents in the urban areas, depriving most of them of sports activities and subsequently hindering their normal development, said Adil, adding that different types of playgrounds for different age groups are very important in urban planning.

Likewise, three types of class-based parks need to be planned in urban areas – neighbourhood parks, community level parks and urban or city parks, which are mostly absent in the urban planning of Bangladesh, resulting in an acute shortage of parks and public spaces for the densely populated capital, Adil added.

IPD Advisor Prof Akter Mahmud pointed out that the matter of public space is ignored in the country's development plan, stating, "We need playgrounds, parks and gardens for our mental growth and physical growth. But those are absent in our development vision."

The Detailed Area Plan-DAP (2010) of Dhaka city suggests that two to three playgrounds, each with a minimum size of one acre, are required for every 12,500 people, meaning around 1,000 playgrounds are needed to ensure play facilities in the capital.

Data from a 2019 study by the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) shows that there are 235 playgrounds in Dhaka, and 141 of those are institutional grounds with no access to local residents or public.

Moreover, some of the existing playgrounds are occupied by various clubs, denying free access for children and teenagers to play, and in many cases, those playgrounds are rented out for various fairs and events.

Planner Md Ariful Islam, director of the IPD, said, "If the school does not have a playground, then the school should not be approved. Besides, it is important to decide that the playground will remain open even when the school is closed."

Mostak Hussain, director at Humanitarian, Save the Children Bangladesh, said that playing in the field helps children to increase socialisation and develop understanding among their families, which is mostly absent nowadays.

According to the BIP study, only 16% of the residents of Dhaka city live within playground facilities as there are only 42 playgrounds in the two city corporation areas with access to all.

Also, 41 out of 129 wards in Dhaka North and South do not have any playgrounds, the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) by Rajuk shows.

"If every ward councillor plans to build one park or playground every 5 years, 129 new parks/playgrounds can be built during the period," said IPD Adviser Prof Akter.