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BANGLADESH GAMES-POSTPONE
Bangabandhu Bangladesh Games postponed
DHAKA, March 12, 2020 (BSS) – The Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) have decided to postpone the 9th Bangabandhu Bangladesh Games due to coronavirus threat.
The Games was scheduled to be held on April 1-10 in Dhaka with the participation of 31 disciplines.
The government has revised the main programme of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu, which was scheduled to be held on March 17, as our national programme has been revised, so we have also decided to defer the Games for a few days, Bangabandhu Bangladesh Games steering committee’s chairman Sheikh Boshir Ahmed informed the pressmen in a hurriedly called press conference held today at BOA auditorium said.
The fresh date of the games will be announced later after discussing with the federations, he added.
“There was an instruction form the government to take precaution as well as to keep the crowd to a minimum. We had a plan to organise the fabulous opening ceremony of Bangladesh Games in a large scale.” he said.
“As pubic gathering occurred during the opening ceremony, so it’s one of the reasons to postpone the Bangladesh Games as we have given instruction to keep the crowd to a minimum level….Secondly, panic is also working in the mind of our athletes who are preparation for the Games. In this situation they will not be able to give their hundred percent in the match,” he added.
Boshir said the BOA president and Secretary General approached to the Bangladesh Games chief patron Prime Minister Sheik Hasina for her kind instruction and she instructed to defer the games for a few days.
BOA Secretary General Syed Shaed Reza, who was present in the press conference, said the birth centenary of Bangabandhu will be celebrated till March 17 next year, but we must organize the Bangladesh Games within this year.
BSS/SG/RY/1910 hrs