Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday underscored gaining mental strength and self- confidence through hard training for attaining excellence in sports.”Mental strength and self-confidence is urgently needed always with training. The more training you get the more excellence you gain,” she said. The premier was addressing a reception for the members of the Bangladesh Women’s Football team for clinching the SAAF Women’s Championship 2022 in Kathmandu in September this year.She also distributed cheques of prize money and other financial benefits among the players, coaches and officials of the victorious national team at the event held at Shapla Hall of Prime Minister Office (PMO).
Bangladesh women’s football team lifted their first-ever SAFF title by beating four-times finalists and hosts Nepal 3-1.PM Hasina said the players of the country have to remember that as a nation Bangalees are always victorious as they had achieved their Independence through the Liberation War. “We are a victorious nation. We have attained our independence through our Liberation War. You have to remember this in sports also. We have won in the war and we will win in sports also. You all have to go with this attitude. Then the success will come,” she told the players.
She said the country’s sports arena is gaining excellence because of the massive development in this field undertaken by her government in past 14 years.”We are trying to organise all sports from the grassroots level. There is now stadium in every district which will be used for every sport,” she said. Talking about the mini stadium in every upazila she said that these will be used for all types of sports. Even schools can use that for holding their annual sports.
In this regard Hasina said that the government has constructed 125 Sheikh Russel mini stadiums in 125 upzilas and works of 186 mini stadiums have started in the second phase while 173 Sheikh Russel mini stadiums will be constructed in the third phase.She also said that the government will construct indoor stadium in every district while there will be BKSP in every division for the development of the sports in the country.The PM said that besides cultural and literary activities the children must be involved in sports to build up their physical and mental health and instil the spirit of patriotism in them.She mentioned that during the Awami League government’s first term in 1996-2001 it sent players to countries like Brazil, Portugal and Spain for better training in football.
She said that the government is patronising the physically challenged people with special needs to get involved in sports as the government believes in the policy of ‘sports for all’. She put emphasis on reviving the rural games through Country Games Association. Hasina said that children of Dhaka city is becoming like ‘chicks of farms’ staying in the flats without physical activities.
She asked the parents to pay special attention to their children in this regard and take them out to the playgrounds regularly. “Schools must have arrangements for regular sports,” she said.
She asked affluent people to come forward for the development of the sports. “At least they can hire players in their organisations so that they can to earn livelihood to lead a tension-free life,” she said. State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Zahid Ahsan Russel, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Kazi Md. Salah Uddin, Sabina Khatun and Youth and Sports secretary Mesbah Uddin also spoke at the programme. A documentary was screened at the event.
