State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque said the future Bangladesh would be a fully sports-friendly country where all differences would be forgotten and everyone would be united through sports.
He made the remark while speaking as the chief guest in a view-sharing meeting marking the National and International Sports Day held at National Sports Council auditorium on Monday.
He also highlighted the government's multifaceted plans for radical changes in the country's sports arena and the welfare of players.
Ensuring the financial security of the players, the State Minister said that 129 players have already been brought under the salary structure and provided with sports allowances and sports cards. The rest would be provided soon. Promising to complete this entire process with utmost transparency and impartiality, he said that the players' skills and performance would be reviewed every four months.
He expressed hope that this would create special trust and confidence in the families of grassroots players regarding state support.
Aminul laid special emphasis on corporate involvement in improving the quality of the country's sports federations mentioning that except for a handful of organizations, the condition of most of the federations is currently fragile.
Discussions have already been completed with various banks, insurance and financial institutions of the country to strengthen the federations. According to the government's plan, the responsibility of managing small federations is being entrusted to each corporate house.
The State Minister confirmed in the meeting that the journey of the 'Natun Kuri Sports' program is going to start simultaneously from Sylhet on April 30 across the country. The program would be conducted in a total of seven different events including football, cricket, kabaddi and chess.
Giving utmost importance to sports diplomacy, the State Minister said that on the field of play, everyone, regardless of party or opinion, comes together, and the government wants to build a prosperous Bangladesh of the future by utilizing this united force.
The State Minister reiterated the need to focus more on developing skilled players than on building infrastructure. He said that the government has far-reaching plans for former players, valuing their experience and contributions.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
