Government expands grassroots sports to keep youths away from drugs and teen gangs

The government has taken steps to expand grassroots sports across the country to prevent young people from becoming addicted to drugs or joining teen gangs. It plans to hold regular competitions, provide training and implement programmes open to all at ward, union and upazila levels.

An action plan has been drawn up in coordination with the education ministry, the Local Government Division, the youth and sports ministry and various sports organisations. Work is also underway to build a mini stadium in every upazila and a playing field in every union.

Youth and Sports Minister Md Aminul Haque shared the information in parliament on Monday (November 9), responding to a question from Newaz Halima Arli, the MP for reserved women’s seat-5.

The minister said the government had undertaken various programmes to identify sporting talent at the grassroots and ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of children, adolescents and young people.

As part of these efforts, the government has taken steps to organise competitions in 10 sports, starting at the union level, for children aged 10 to 14 through the ‘Notun Kuri Sports’ competition.

The sports are football, cricket, kabaddi, athletics, badminton, volleyball, table tennis, swimming, chess and martial arts.

Md Aminul Haque also said steps had been taken to recruit sports teachers to run sporting activities and provide training. Under a decision taken at an inter-ministerial meeting between the youth and sports ministry and the primary and mass education ministry, the recruitment process is underway for three sports teachers in every upazila to cover eight events.

The minister added that the Department of Youth Development was conducting various training programmes to improve young people’s skills.