Public Facilities for Better Health and Urban Plan

Authors

  • Shamima Parvin Lasker Professor & Head of Anatomy, Secretary General, Bangladesh Bioethics Society
  • Arif Hossain Professor & Course Co-coordinator, International Affairs and Human Rights, Etrat University, Vice President, Bangladesh Bioethics Society

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62865/bjbio.v14i3.77

Keywords:

physical activity, exercise, non-communicable disease, obesity, policy, urban plan, Bangladesh

Abstract

Lack of physical activity is one of the main cause of obesity. Currently, scientists proposed that teenagers and women are overweight or obese than men in Bangladesh. Furthermore, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are becoming more prevalent in Bangladesh. By 2050, the illness burden of non-communicable diseases will have a significant impact on the health budget. To reduce non-communicable diseases, physical activity is one of the options. However, the lack of public facilities for physical activities in each community is a concern. According to the Department of Military Estate Administration, Central Circle, DOHS (Defense Officers' Housing Scheme) has a total of 2966 plots and 396.6327 acres of area (640 acres =1 square mile) including 5 DOSH in Bangladesh. However, each DOHS has all the public facilities including structures streets, parks, walking paths, squares, gyms, cultural and sports grounds, walkways, waterfronts, lakes, mosques, cafeterias, public toilets, sitting areas for elderly or passersby, etc for physical activities specially for women, children, and the disabled people. Gulshan, Baridhara, Banani, and Dhanmondi areas are other good examples from Bangladesh where dwellers specially, women and children have facilities for physical activities. Sangmoo Kim, urban specialist said, “it is not over-ambitious thinking to have public facilities; it is a basic need for each city dweller for a healthy life”. This report aims to explore what are the policy drawbacks of the Government of Bangladesh not providing public facilities to perform physical activities in each area.

Author Biographies

Shamima Parvin Lasker, Professor & Head of Anatomy, Secretary General, Bangladesh Bioethics Society

PhD(Bioethics & Global Public Health) USA, MPH(USA), MPhil(Anatomy) BD, EMMB(Bioethics) Europe, MSc(Anatomy) BD. Email-[email protected],ORCIDID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3484-9526   ScopusID:57219800747

Arif Hossain, Professor & Course Co-coordinator, International Affairs and Human Rights, Etrat University, Vice President, Bangladesh Bioethics Society

PhD (Bioethics & Global Public Health) USA, MPH (USA), BA (International Studies) USA.

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6410-099X

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Published

2023-10-28

How to Cite

1.
Lasker SP, Hossain A. Public Facilities for Better Health and Urban Plan . BJBio [Internet]. 2023 Oct. 28 [cited 2025 Feb. 9];14(3):24-7. Available from: https://bjbio.bioethics.org.bd/index.php/BJBio/article/view/77

Issue

Section

Short Communications

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