Tarique urges athletes to keep politics off the field, focus on sporting excellence
In a clear message to the nation’s sports community, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday urged athletes to avoid political affiliations during their professional careers and instead bring glory to Bangladesh through their performance on the field.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Sports Card and Allowance Distribution Programme at his office, the prime minister said, “In your professional sports career, you should not get involved with any political party or group. Represent the country through your sporting excellence.”
Tarique Rahman emphasised that patriotism, willpower, and team spirit are the key ingredients for success. “I believe that if you have these qualities, no obstacle can stand in the way of your progress,” he said.
Highlighting sports as a professional pursuit rather than just a hobby or exercise, the prime minister pointed to his government’s commitment to providing athletes with a structured salary framework and allowances. “For the first time in the country’s history, athletes are being brought under a salary structure and provided with sports allowances,” he said, noting that this initiative ensures financial stability for players and their families.
The event saw 129 athletes receiving sports cards, while international achievers were honoured for their accomplishments. Through a symbolic gesture, the prime minister inaugurated the allowance programme by pressing a button on a laptop, instantly transferring Tk 1,00,000 to each athlete’s account via Sonali Bank’s online system.
Expanding opportunities for all
Under the banner “Sports for All,” the prime minister announced measures to ensure that underprivileged individuals and those with physical challenges can participate in sports at home and abroad. He said the government is working on short, medium, and long-term plans to make sports a recognised profession and to encourage participation in diverse disciplines beyond cricket and football – including archery, gymnastics, para athletics, wushu, karate, kabaddi, and more.
The prime minister also celebrated Bangladesh’s recent triumph in the SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship and underscored the importance of nurturing young talent through initiatives like the nationwide “Natun Kuri Sports” programme. Set to launch from Sylhet on April 30, the revamped talent hunt aims to identify and train children and adolescents in various sports, continuing a tradition started in independent Bangladesh in 1976.
Sports in education and beyond
Tarique Rahman stressed the need to integrate sports into the education system. Plans are underway to make sports compulsory from grade four and revise the curriculum to promote both academic and athletic development. “We want our children to develop interest and skills in sports alongside their studies,” he said.
Earlier at the ceremony, the prime minister handed over the sports cards and allowances, and later joined the athletes for a photo session outside Shapla Hall. A host of government officials, including LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, State Minister for Sports and Youth Md Aminul Haque, and BNP Vice Chairman Dr Asaduzzaman Ripon, among others, attended the programme.
Tarique Rahman concluded with a message of encouragement: “Defeat is not the end; it is part of victory. With dedication, discipline, and support from the government, our athletes will take Bangladesh to greater heights in the world of sports.”