What was once envisioned as a milestone project for women’s sports in Rangpur has now become a grazing ground for cattle and goats.
The Tk 38-crore women’s sports complex, constructed on 10 acres of land in Uttam Hajir Haat area of Rangpur city, has been lying abandoned for years due to poor planning, lack of maintenance and official neglect.
The complex, launched by the National Sports Council in 2017, was meant to inspire female athletes and provide them with modern facilities, including dormitories, a gymnasium, an indoor stadium and training grounds.
Although construction was not fully complete, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officially inaugurated the project on August 2, 2023, during an election rally at Rangpur Zilla School field.
A glimpse of its potential was seen in 2022, when the ‘Divisional Commissioner Cup Women’s Football Tournament’ brought together women’s teams from eight districts of Rangpur division. But since then, the gates have remained largely shut.
During a recent visit, this correspondent found the main gate of the complex locked while a smaller side gate stood ajar.
Local residents were seen grazing cattle, cutting grass and moving freely across the overgrown field now covered in weeds and wild plants.
The infrastructure tells a story of abandonment: broken windows, damp walls, stained plaster, and crumbling corners.
ACC probes alleged fund misuse in Cumilla ‘mini stadium’ project
The gymnasium remains padlocked, the dormitories gather dust and cobwebs and algae stains the floors. What were once modern facilities have now been reduced to relics of mismanagement.
“It’s been nine years since we saw any tournament here. This huge complex has been rotting for years and no one seems to care,” said local resident Azizul Bari Swapan.
Another resident, Afsana Akter, expressed her disappointment, “We thought girls would play here regularly and we’d get a chance too. But now, it’s not a field anymore—just a place for cows to graze. We can’t even go there.”
Sports enthusiasts say the neglect represents more than wasted infrastructure—it is a missed opportunity for promoting women’s sports in northern Bangladesh.
“If this sports complex had been made operational, it could have opened up a new horizon for women’s sports,” said former cricketer and coach Arifa Jahan Bithi.
She went on to say, “Everything is here, but due to lack of staffing and proper support, it’s falling apart. A multi-crore project is now in ruins. I don’t know why it hasn’t been opened yet. It seems like a complete waste of public money.”
Bangladesh to construct 201 mini-stadiums under a mega project
Authorities have acknowledged the failure. Selowara Begum, the current member-secretary of the Women’s Sports Complex Committee, admitted, “It’s unfortunate that the complex has been left in neglect for so long. We are now considering how to engage the local girls in sports and have already begun working on it. We will investigate what went wrong in the previous years.”
Rangpur Deputy Commissioner Rabiul Faisal also assured that initiatives are underway. “Steps will be taken soon to make the Women’s Sports Complex operational. Meetings have already been held and a women’s football tournament will be launched shortly,” he said.