Kumarkhali Upazila's Only Playground Submerged in Water and Water Hyacinth for a Decade

The sole playground of Kumarkhali Upazila in Kushtia district has transformed into a water body, remaining submerged in knee-deep water and covered entirely in water hyacinth for nearly a decade. Verified reports and observations on August 20, 2026, highlighted that this vital recreational hub, situated near the Durgapur Government Primary and Secondary School, Kumarkhali Adarsha Girls' School, Abul Hossain Tarun Auditorium, Kumarkhali Government College, and Durgapur Secondary School, has lost its operational capacity due to severe neglect and the absence of systematic renovation.

Local students and youths frequenting the area have expressed despair over the deteriorating conditions. Shrabon Mahmud, a young local, described the current state of affairs by noting that although afternoons are meant for outdoor sports, the presence of knee-deep water and water hyacinth forces him to spend his time operating a mobile phone instead. Echoing this sentiment, Shahriyar Jabid recalled that tournaments used to take place regularly in the past with sports running throughout the entire day, but the situation has deteriorated to the point where the ground has been plagued exclusively by water and water hyacinth for the past eight to ten years.

The stagnation has severely impacted local sporting traditions which historically produced prominent athletes who represented the district, division, and national stages. Basir Uddin reminisced that fifteen to twenty years ago, boys and girls from the area frequented the grounds with immense enthusiasm for sports, but everything has now come to a standstill due to the persistent waterlogging, prompting urgent calls for renovation. Liton Abbas added that aside from a minimal cricket tournament managed with great difficulty once a year, the lack of continuous sporting opportunities makes it challenging to keep the younger generation away from drugs. Abbas further pointed out that the disruption extends beyond athletics, resulting in the cancellation of the upazila's largest Eid congregation alongside various other socio-cultural events.

Community members have placed the blame on infrastructural mismanagement and official apathy. Mo. Shfi Uddin stated that every year they hear about budget allocations and the dumping of a few truckloads of sand, but no tangible work is ever accomplished, noting a complete lack of attention from members of parliament, chairmen, and regional political leaders. Akram Hossain corroborated that the ground once hosted all major events organized by the upazila administration alongside locally initiated football and cricket tournaments that drew large crowds, but due to unplanned development and a lack of structured maintenance, the area has turned into a stagnant reservoir, fueling demands to restore its former glory.

Contributing to the environmental crisis, the surrounding areas have suffered from unplanned construction and excavation of ponds that completely blocked the natural pathways for water drainage. Consequently, the ground remains waterlogged for approximately eight months out of the year, leaving even the Eidgah minaret submerged. Addressing the public outcry, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Farzana Akhhtar acknowledged that the administration is fully aware of the issue. She affirmed that the playground represents a deep emotional attachment for the residents of Kumarkhali and assured that once the budget for the upcoming fiscal year is secured, rapid renovation and water drainage initiatives will be executed.