Festive Fervor Across 50,000 Institutions
By Maksuda Lisa (Dhaka Bureau)
In a major initiative to reconnect the younger generation with sports and foster physical and talent development, Bangladesh is preparing to launch a nationwide mega sports spectacle. Over 50,000 educational institutions will participate in the upcoming ‘Prime Minister’s Gold Cup’, bringing together students from classes six to twelve across schools, colleges, madrasas, as well as technical and vocational institutes.
The details were officially disclosed on Monday by Mahdi Amin, Advisor and Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, following a meeting of the National Standing Committee held at the conference room of the Ministry of Education.
Universal Participation and Unprecedented Scale
Described as one of the largest student sports events in the country’s history, the tournament aims to overcome past limitations in branding and outreach to achieve unprecedented scale. Advisor Mahdi Amin stated that while participation is mandatory for male students, it remains optional for female students.
Highlighting past milestones, Amin noted that previous primary-level tournaments engaged nearly 2.2 million students, while secondary-level competitions saw over 1.1 million participants. The current initiative plans to build upon these foundations with robust promotional strategies.
World Cup-Style Grandeur and National Festival Vision
The government aims to transform the ‘Prime Minister’s Gold Cup’ beyond a traditional tournament into a grand national festival.
World Cup-Style Opening: A grand opening ceremony modeled after the FIFA World Cup is being planned.
Prime Minister’s Presence: The Prime Minister of Bangladesh is scheduled to grace both the opening ceremony and the final match as the Chief Guest.
Personal Naming: The title of the tournament was personally selected by the Prime Minister.
Regional Decentralization: Tournament activities will commence outside the capital city of Dhaka to ensure equal opportunity and involvement for students in rural and peripheral regions.
Integrated Governance and Community Engagement
To ensure seamless administration, nationwide coordination, and publicity, a high-level committee has been formed, incorporating Ministers, State Ministers, and senior officials from several government ministries. Furthermore, special emphasis is being placed on mobilizing local representatives, including Members of Parliament, to actively encourage student involvement within their respective constituencies.
The press conference was attended by Education Minister Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon, Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Shariful Alam, and State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Hoque, alongside other senior government officials.
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The Writer:
Maksuda Lisa: Staff Correspondent, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
