Swimming is an excellent full-body exercise that has many physical and mental health benefits. Doctors recommend this exercise because it works your entire body and builds muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness. Besides burning calories, swimming is also becoming popular among city dwellers as a recreational activity.
Jamee Jawad Khan, a senior manager at a multinational FMCG company, said that working in corporate settings often leads to a sedentary lifestyle, significantly increasing the incidence of recurring spinal cord problems.
“I have found swimming to be a great remedy for back pain during the last few years. It also helps de-stress and relax after a long and tiring day,” he shared.
Khondaker Niloy, English Language Instructor, Mentors Education Limited, agreed, “Swimming helps reduce the physical tension created in the body during the weekdays and is a mentally exhilarating experience.”
He added that after working six days a week, he always looks for a way to wash away all the stress — in a calm body of water, away from the daily hubbub of the workplace.
Like Jamee Jawad Khan and Khondaker Niloy, many of us are eager to enjoy a dip in the pool from time to time and do not know how to swim in the first place. And when it comes to learning how to swim, we cannot decide what would be the best place and how much it might cost.
Khondaker Niloy opined that finding a good pool with public access can be challenging in Dhaka as most swimming pool facilities require a monthly membership plan. Also, students and jobholders often need flexible schedules that fit them.
So, if you want to make your heart and lungs strong by learning to swim, here is a list of some government and private pools that offer swimming classes in Dhaka — for all age groups and skill levels.
Dhaka University Swimming Pool
Dhaka University swimming pool is a popular swimming facility not only among university students but among other swimming lovers as well. The place offers a swimming course at a monthly fee of Tk 2,600. You will also need to purchase swimming costumes which may cost Tk 600 for males and Tk 1,000 for females.
Dhaka University swimming pool provides swimming classes on weekdays and weekends in separate batches for males and females. Female trainees can choose from any of the three slots starting at 8:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Or, they may choose from the two slots available on Sundays and Tuesdays beginning from 10:00 am.
Male trainees have three slots during the 11:30 pm to 2:30 pm timeframe on Fridays and Saturdays and two slots during the 10:00 pm to 12:00 pm timeframe on Mondays and Wednesdays. Working professionals can select a slot from Friday or Saturday so that the training session does not clash with their work schedule. If you go there to get admitted, take two passport-size photos and a vaccination card photocopy.
Officers’ Club
The Officers’ Club provides a great ambience to take a dip in the refreshing pool. But, even more interesting, it facilitates professional swimming training under the guidance of national gold medallist swimmers. They offer a 16-day training package with six classes each week for both male and female trainees, with the minimum age criteria for admission being six years.
The sessions run from 12:30 pm to 1:20 pm and from 3:00 pm to 3:50 pm. The swimming facility remains closed on Wednesdays. Their most recent swimming batch for females started on September 1, and for males, it will start on September 5. To register for this training program, male trainees have to pay Tk 6,800 taka, and female trainees have to pay Tk 7,200.
Pan Pacific Sonagaon Dhaka
Pan Pacific Sonagaon, a spectacular five-star hotel in Dhaka, provides swimming coaching for all age groups and has an excellent set of expert coaches. It is one of the best swimming pools in Dhaka.
They offer a 16-day package in the span of a month. They have separate schedules for Fridays and Saturdays (9:00 am to 10:00 am) and Sundays and Mondays (3:00 pm to 4:00 pm). There are qualified female teachers to train female students. For children (ages 6 to 12), it will tax you around Tk 7,500 and Tk 21,500 for the rest (ages 13 and over). Their next batch will start on October 7.
Sultana Kamal Women Sports Complex
Sultana Kamal Sports Complex, run by National Sports Council (NSC), provides month-long swimming coaching exclusively to females — students, professionals, and homemakers. Lessons are offered in different slots, so you can choose your slot as you like. It is located in Dhanmondi and is one of the most reputed training centres. Admission starts at Tk 1500, and the monthly fee is Tk 4000.
Ivy Rahman Swimming Pool, Bangabandhu National Stadium
Ivy Rahman Swimming Pool, located in Bangabandhu National Stadium Road, Motijheel, is another popular government swimming facility. It offers one-hour swimming classes throughout the week (except Sunday and Monday) that may cost Tk 2,500 in the first month and Tk 2,000 for each subsequent month. The coaches here are well-trained, and they monitor trainees’ performances closely. The facilities at Ivy Rahman Swimming Pool come at a very affordable price — making it one of the best swimming pools in Dhaka with swimming classes.
Among other popular swimming training centres in Dhaka are Gulshan Youth Club Swimming Pool, Dhaka Club, and Dhali Fitness Centre. To know their schedule and fee, you can go to their website or visit their office.
