President asks affluent to help bring more success in sports

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DHAKA, Dec 23, 2018 (BSS) – President M Abdul Hamid today urged affluent people, different institutions, agencies and corporate houses along with the government to arrange different tournaments which would help bring more success in national and international sports.

“I hope that the affluent people, different institutions, agencies and corporate houses along with the government will come forward to arrange different tournaments . . . then it will bring more success in national and international sports,” he said.

The head of the state said this while speaking at the prize-giving ceremony of the “Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman National Gold Cup Football tournament (U-17)” final match held at Bangabandhu National Stadium here this afternoon.

He stressed arranging frequent tournaments like football and other events of sports, which can help to flourish physical and mental growth of adolescents, build tolerance capacity and help them stay free from all anti-social activities, including drug addiction and militancy.

Lauding the arrangement, the President said such tournament will create new talented players and make the football very popular to all.

The players picked up from grassroots would uphold the country’s image across the world in the days to come, Abdul Hamid hoped.

Referring to the initiatives taken for the development of sports, the President said the incumbent government is providing all sorts of assistance, including financial and technical ones, to develop the sports and expansion of infrastructural facilities.

He recalled the contribution of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to country’s football arena.

“Bangabandhu and his family members had a very close relation with football. Football was his (Father of the Nation) favorite game. Besides, he was very good in hokey and volleyball, ” the President added.

He congratulated the winners and greeted all the participants in the tournaments.

The President also distributed trophies to the champion and runner-up teams.

Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Arif Khan Joy, Youth and Sports Secretary Mohammad Abdullah, Bangladesh Football Federation President Kazi Salahuddin, senior civil and military officials, and secretaries concerned to the Bangabhaban, among others, were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, the President along with his wife Rashida Khanom enjoyed the final match between Rangpur Division and Rajshahi Division from the VVIP gallery of the stadium.