Dhaka:The government has announced a series of initiatives aimed at expanding sports opportunities for women, adolescent girls, and persons with disabilities. This includes plans to establish a dedicated para-sports village, as stated by State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque in parliament.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the state minister responded to a supplementary question from ruling party lawmaker Newaz Halima Arly, emphasizing the government's efforts to increase women's participation in sports. These efforts include ensuring safety, providing necessary support, and creating opportunities for national-level competition. The parliamentary session was chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikrom.
The minister highlighted that in the first phase of the Notunkuri Sports programme, approximately 168,000 participants were involved, including nearly 49,000 adolescent girls. In the subsequent phase, online registrations soared to 16.23 lakh from 4,599 unions nationwide, with around 700,000 adolescent girls participating.
The government is committed to ensuring a safe and supportive environment for female athletes and encouraging their ongoing engagement in sports. For persons with disabilities, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has instructed the establishment of a para-sports village to promote their involvement in sporting activities.
The state minister also mentioned the government's efforts to integrate athletes with disabilities into mainstream sports by organizing events in divisional and district towns. Addressing another question from opposition lawmaker Shafiqul Islam Masud, Aminul Haque acknowledged the shortcomings in previous mini-stadium projects and outlined current plans to develop upazila-level stadiums with comprehensive facilities.
Currently, around 200 upazila stadium projects are underway, each requiring about three acres of land, with the government considering available khas land for construction. Additionally, Aminul Haque has directed authorities to investigate alleged corruption and irregularities in the previous mini-stadium projects.