Children are suffering from various diseases for lack of physical activity. It has been found in research that at present children are about 15% less fit than their parents. If children walk to school regularly, it can meet their needs of physical activity. So it is important to encourage children to walk to school. Besides it is important to ensure safe route to school. Children and parents are facing various problems because of poor walking condition. The situation has become worse because of massive usage of cars. If children walk to school it will reduce environmental pollution, traffic jam and also travel cost. Recently government has declared 40% quota for local children. To implement the step it is essential to ensure active and safe route to school.

On 9^th February 2016, 10 am, three schools from Rayerbazar community- Ali Hossain Girls School, Dhanmondi Kachikantha High School, Dhaka Ideal Cadet School and Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust jointly organized an art competition. The theme of the competition was to draw the route to the school. Students were asked to draw their route to school and identify the problems. The program was presided by Gaous Pearee, Director, WBB Trust and Mohidul Haque Khan; former General Secretary, Bangladesh Environment Movement (BAPA) inaugurated the competition. Students drew their route to school identifying the problems they face. Later at 4 PM on the same say the drawings were exhibited in the Rayerbazar Boishakhi Playground.

In a small discussion before the competition, speakers said that, 30% students in Dhaka walk to school. S parents try to admit their children according to their choice; sometimes those are far from their residence. This leads to the need of cars and also to traffic congestion. Some has false sense of pride related with cars. But lack of walking environment is also a reason of the car and rickshaw dependency.

They also said that, most of the children in Rayrbazar area studies in the nearby schools. A survey conducted in three schools shows that 80% student live within 1km from their school and 90% student walk to school. Creating a safe walking environment in this area will be an example. Community people will have to come forward in this regard. Besides Coty Corporation, Education Ministry and other relevant organization need to coordinate. Speakers recommended for car speed control,  stop honking, put marking on the road and aware community people.

The program was moderated by Ziaur Rahman, Senior Project Officer, Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust. Speakers were Maruf Hossain, Program Manager, Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust; M.A. Mannan Monir, Principal, Dhaka Ideal Cadet School; Nurul Islam, Principal, Dhanmondi Kachikantha High School and Fazlur Rahman, Principal (acting), Ali Hossain Girls School. Moreover, WBB Trust’s Program Manager, Syeda Anonna rahman, Deputy Program Manager, Naznin Kabir and other officers; teachers of three schools were present in the program.