DHAKA, Oct 6, : State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul
Haque said existing district stadiums would be modernised and renovated to turn those into full-fledged sports facilities.
“The government is giving priority to making existing fields and stadiums
usable before constructing new infrastructure,” he said while briefing to the
pressmen after inaugurating a cricket academy in Sreemangal, Moulvibazar
today (Tuesday).
Aminul said the government is working to build an integrated sports structure
from the grassroots to the national level.
As part of the plan, necessary facilities, including playing fields and dressing rooms, would be developed at the Sreemangal Cricket Academy.
He said district stadiums would be equipped to host regular competitions in
football, cricket, swimming, volleyball, table tennis, chess, archery,
shooting and hockey.
“A project has been taken to modernise district stadiums across the country
and necessary activities, including preparation of the DPP, are underway,” he said.
The stadiums would be made self-contained with facilities such as galleries,
dressing rooms and press boxes, he added.
The state minister said initiatives have been taken to establish playing
fields up to the union level, while plans were also underway to build Futsal
facilities or small fields at city ward level.
Aminul said the initiatives would help keep young people away from drugs and other harmful activities and encourage them to lead healthy lives.
The State Minister said an initiative has also been taken to introduce
sports-related textbooks from Class Four in the next curriculum.
He said the government wants Bangladeshi athletes to compete for medals at the international level rather than merely participate.
“Year-round training and talent development programmes have been undertaken
for this purpose,” he said, adding that long-term preparations are being made
to build a competitive position in the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games over the next five years.
Additional District Magistrate Md Mamunur Rashid, Sreemangal Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Ziaur Rahman, Assistant Superintendent of Police Md Wahiduzzaman Raju, BCB director Sarfaraz Ahmed Sarfu, sports organisers,
political leaders and journalists were also present there.
Later, the state minister visited the proposed site for a mini stadium in Sreemangal upazila.
