Manikganj Correspondent: Dhaka, Sept-12,

Paturia in Manikganj, on the banks of the mighty Padma, might just be the location for Bangladesh's next international cricket stadium, one hears. This is not something that can brook any opposition of course. Who would object to a cricket ground after all? To be sure, we don't have enough.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Mohammad Zahid Ahsan Russell visited the proposed site for the stadium on Saturday (September 11) afternoon.

“A work order for the feasibility study would be issued within a week,” he added.

The cricket stadium is going to be built in Manikganj as promised by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the minister added.

“A plot of land behind the Padma Riverview Resort on the right side of the Manikganj-Paturia ferry terminal has been selected for the construction of the stadium. The stadium would be named after the prime minister,”  he continued.

Expressing hope that the work would start in the current financial year, the Minister of State for Youth and Sports said, "Various types of surveys are carried out by the technical team to determine  whether the soil here is suitable or not. It usually takes three to six months to complete such a process. We will try to start construction of the stadium this financial year.”

He also informed that the government has already allocated around Tk 4 crore for laying the ground works including the feasibility study.

"After conducting a feasibility study, we have made initial plans to build a modern and self-contained stadium on 25 acres of land, if considered suitable," he  added.

The state minister also  said that the stadium will have all the facilities of international standard including state-of-the-art dormitories.

After the inspection, the state minister participated in an exchange of views on the proposed stadium with local administration, people's representatives, dignitaries and sports personalities at the Padma Riverview Resort premises.

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