In Cox’s Bazar, skateboarding is becoming a source of joy and learning for underprivileged children who come from impoverished backgrounds or live on the streets. These children embrace skateboarding as a recreational activity, practicing daily and finding excitement and purpose.
Around 30 to 40 children, including boys and girls, gather daily at an abandoned park near the Laboni Tennis Club field to practice skateboarding.
They have set up temporary equipment at this spot, where children use skateboards to hone their skills and experience the thrill of the sport.
Skateboarding has also found a unique connection to the local surfing culture, making it especially appealing to children in this coastal region.
Like surfing, skateboarding involves balance, coordination, and movement on a dynamic surface, making it a complementary skill.
The process involves propelling the skateboard forward with one foot while maintaining balance with the other or navigating curved structures like ramps and half-pipes.
Children also enjoy the thrill of standing on the deck and letting gravity carry them downhill, mastering their movements with precision and confidence.
By Abdur Rashid Manik
Photo: Abdur Rashid Manik
