Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government would establish a sports education institute in each division aimed at facilitating the sportsmen of each game with proper training, as she believes that Bangladesh has the capability to compete on the stage of world standard sports.
“We will build a Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) in each division of our country to ensure proper training in all types of sport. Approval has already been given in setting up two such organizations while the rest will also be done,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while distributing trophies and prizes among runners-up and champions of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman National Gold Cup Football Tournament for boys (U-17)-2021 and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib National Gold Cup Football Tournament for girls (U-17)-2021.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has organized the programme at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Sepahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur.
Sheikh Hasina said, “We hope that we will appear before the world with more developed sports in future.”
She called upon all concerned to devote themselves to sports as the government is ready to support them in their every need.
Describing today’s children as the future of tomorrow, the Prime Minister said that the government wants to develop them as worthy citizens as they could lead the nation with dignity.
Sheikh Hasina asked the children to engage themselves in sports and culture and creative activities saying that if the children remain busy with sports, they will stay away from militancy, drug taking and other bad habits.
Mentioning that sports and physical exercise are very important for building sound physical and mental health, she said that her government has been establishing a mini stadium in each of the upazila across the country to this end. Sheikh Hasina said she has already directed the concerned authorities to ensure a place at each of the union for sports.
Sheikh Hasina said “You would have to compete in the international sports stage, so pay due attention to sports as we want to make our children capable of performing in the world stage.”
The Prime Minister witnessed the final moments of the girls’ final football match between Rangpur Division and Mymensingh Division being connected from her official Ganabhaban residence here through a video conference.
Rangpur Division clinched the championship trophy defeating Mymensingh Division by a single goal in the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib National Gold Cup Football Tournament for girls (U-17) while Sylhet Division has become champion defeating Rajshahi Division in penalty shootouts after the match that ended 1-1 draw in Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman National Gold Cup Football Tournament for boys (U-17).
Anik Deb Barmon of Sylhet Division was judged man of the tournament while Asaduddin of the same division was selected as the best player of the final match. Anik Barmon has also become the top scorer along with Habibur Rahman of Rajshahi Division in the boys football tournament.
In the girls’ football tournament, Nasrin of Rangpur Division has become woman of the tournament while Shammi Akhter of the same division has become the best player of the final match. Nasrin of the Rangpur Division and Sondhya of the Khulna Division have jointly become the best scorers.
On behalf of the Prime Minister, State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Zahid Ahsan Russel, MP, handed over the trophies and prizes among the winners while cheque for Taka 10,000 each among 5,000 sportsmen and Tk 24,000 each among 1170 others as part of the government move to financially helped the insolvent people affected badly by the ongoing Covid-19.
President of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Abdullah Al Islam Jakob, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Md Akhter Hossain and President of Bangladesh Football Federation Kazi Md. Salahuddin, among others, were present.
