Sports minister orders removal of shops from Kamalapur stadium, suspends administrator

State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque has ordered the cancellation of allocations for auto-rickshaw shops inside the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur and temporarily suspended the stadium administrator for alleged negligence of duty.

Haque issued the directives after inspecting the stadium on Sunday and expressed strong dissatisfaction with its poor management and unhygienic conditions. He found dust, rubbish and a lack of basic facilities in the dressing rooms, washrooms, press box and areas around the stands and stairs.

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The minister also criticised the electricity consumption associated with the auto-rickshaw shops and said the government was trying to ensure more efficient use of electricity.

“Because of these auto-rickshaws, a lot of electricity is being consumed. The government is very conscious about electricity and is thinking about how it can be used properly, but after coming here I see a huge amount of electricity is being wasted. We are suffering from load-shedding in our homes, while they are wasting electricity here,” Haque told reporters after the inspection.

“We have therefore decided to cancel the contracts of all the shops in the Kamalapur stadium area. It is the Prime Minister's directive that the environment of the stadium must be restored. We want to ensure that,” he added.

The minister said a National Sports Council (NSC) delegation would visit the stadium and set a deadline for the shops to vacate the premises. He said the areas currently occupied by the shops would eventually be used for sports-related activities, including facilities for clubs.

Haque also confirmed the temporary suspension of the stadium administrator over alleged negligence.

“The administrator of Kamalapur Stadium has been temporarily suspended for negligence of duty. We need manpower to create the environment we want. I am not saying that everything will be fixed overnight, but we want to create a sports-friendly environment in all the stadiums,” he said.

He said immediate work would focus on improving the stadium's basic facilities.

“The dressing rooms, washrooms, camps, press box and rubbish at Kamalapur will all be cleaned and work will begin anew. Fans or air-conditioning will be provided for the players. We want to do this as quickly as possible,” he added.

Haque had previously inspected the stadium on March 1, shortly after becoming minister, and instructed the authorities to remove illegal structures and clean up the venue. However, he said little progress had been made over the following months, prompting action against the administrator.

The stadium currently has no electricity connection, but Haque said the problem would be resolved within a day or two. He also promised to ensure a drug-free environment at the venue.