Bangladesh are set to participate in the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh with a 36-member squad competing across 10 disciplines, aiming to turn recent lessons into results after a modest outing at the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, reports the Daily Sun.
At a press conference on Thursday at the Dutch-Bangla Auditorium, Chief of Mission and Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Md Selim Fakir, said, “We cannot make any promises at this moment. We haven’t given up on winning medals. With a bit of luck, we might achieve some.”
Initially, Bangladesh had planned to send 45 athletes in 11 disciplines, but due to the organisers’ ranking criteria, only 36 qualified in 10. As a result, participants in basketball 3x3, fencing, table tennis, and taekwondo were left out.
The contingent will leave for Saudi Arabia on November 5, with the opening ceremony set to see weightlifter Mabia Akhter and table tennis player Muhtasin Ahmed carry the national flag during the march-past.
The Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) is providing facilities for athletes and officials to perform Umrah during the stay. It will also bear the accommodation cost, waiving an estimated Tk 68 lakh in athlete village rent.
Medal prospects may be uncertain, but incentives are clear: Tk6 lakh for gold, Tk4 lakh for silver, and Tk2 lakh for bronze.
“Even for bronze, each athlete will get Tk50,000,” said BOA General Secretary Dilshad Hasan.
With determination and a touch of luck, Bangladesh eyes a memorable campaign in Riyadh.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
