Child’s play and recreation in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

This paper is an attempt to take into account children’s views and perceptions about their playing spaces, as a result of a study of playgrounds, parks and amusement parks in Dhaka City. It is quite evident that the so-called ‘play and recreation facilities’ provided by the authorities cater for only a fraction of the children in Dhaka City. Girls are almost totally excluded from using these facilities, while boys from high-income families and street children seldom use them. The main reasons for their inaccessibility to most children in Dhaka City are lack of security, poor maintenance and inadequate play facilities and accessories. It is recommended that further studies are undertaken on the existing provision of play spaces for children in order to understand better the impact of such spaces on their well being.