PM gives away national sports awards

Sheikh Hasina asks new generation to take up traditional sports and help keep them alive

Dhaka, Feb 23 (bdnews24.com) — Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has urged people to keep a close watch so that the country's traditional games do not fade off the horizon.

"It is important for us to watch out, so that our traditional games are not lost with time. We should introduce the new generation to all sorts of traditional games," Hasina said while giving away the national sports awards at a programme at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Thursday.

"I strongly believe we can get Bangladesh to a respectable position in global sports arena."

Congratulating sportspersons, awarded for their contributions in 2008 and 2009, Hasina said, "I believe you will make the most of your experience and talent to develop the sports arena.

"We have started countrywide talent hunt programmes, and work is going on to select players from grassroots level and make national-level players through regular, close and scientific training. We have undertaken short- and long-term projects for sports."

According to Hasina, the government is implementing a massive programme, including building infrastructure, creating positive environment and increasing benefits, in an effort to encourage more people to take up sports seriously.

The government also put emphasis on physical education and sports in the education sector, she added.

Ten sportspersons received the national sports awards for 2009, while nine persons were given the award in different categories for 2008. Each award includes a gold medal, Tk 20,000 and a certificate.

The award recipients of 2009 are Dewan Shafiul Arefin Tutul (footballer and organiser), Badal Roy (football), AM Naimur Rahman Durjoy (cricket), Shamsul Alam Monju (football organiser), Anjan Chowdhury Pintu (organiser), Shahed Asgar Chowdhury (organiser), Hamida Begum (athletics and organiser), Shamim Ara Toly (athletics; posthumously), Mohammad Mohsin (hockey), and Mostafa Kamal (volleyball).

The awards for 2008 were given to Sunil Krishna Dey (football), Lt. (retd) Mohammad Amzad Hossain (athletics), Senior Warrant Officer (retd) M Lutfor Rahman (swimming), M Ruhal Amin (weightlifting), Khandakar Abul Hasan (volleyball), Saidul Haque Sadi (table tennis), Brigadier General M Showkat Hossain (bodybuilding), Syed Abdul Majid Koran (cricket), and Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (kabaddi).

bdnews24.com/sum/rn/std/1535h