UNB, Dhaka :
The first batch of the 52-member Bangladesh contingent for the 4th Asian Beach Games-2014 leaves here for the Thai tourist town Phuket today (Wednesday), with a high hope for women’s kabaddi medal.
Leading Asian athletes will battle for 169 gold medals of the 26 disciplines of sports at seven different beach venues — Patong Beach, Karon Beach, Naiyang Beach, Saphan Hin Sports Centre, Anthem Wake Park and Chaofa Mine — of Phuket on November 14-23.
Of the 26 disciplines of sports in the continental games, Bangladesh will compete in seven beach sports — Athletics, Marathon Swimming, Basketball, Handball, Kabaddi (Men’s & Women’s), Volleyball and Wrestling.
President of Bangladesh Table Tennis Federation (BTTF) and former Principal Secretary Mohammad Abdul Karim has been named as the chef-de-mission of Bangladesh contingent, which comprises 33 athletes, 11 team officials and eight contingent officials.
The first batch of the Bangladesh contingent with members of basketball, handball, swimming and wrestling teams will fly for Bangkok on Wednesday, followed by volleyball team on Thursday (Nov 13), and kabaddi and athletics teams on Sunday (Nov 16).
Addressing a press conference at the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) auditorium on Tuesday ahead of the team departure, BOA Secretary General Syed Shahed Reza said Bangladesh women’s Kabaddi team earned bronze medal and the men’s Basketball team finished 4th in the 3rd Asian Beach Games held in China in 1012.
“This time we expect better results from women’s Kabaddi team and also in some other sports including men’s basketball team,” he added.
Chef-de-mission of Bangladesh contingent M Abdul Karim said: “Despite short training, we expect good result from our team members.”
BOA deputy secretary general and chairman of its training committee Ashiqur Rahman Miku said: “We conducted only one month’s training for the games. This was not adequate, but we hope for success in a few events.”
Basketball player Mithun Kumar Biswas will carry the Bangladesh flag at the march past of the games opening ceremony as bronze medal winner as the women’s Kabaddi team will leave for Phuket on Sunday (Nov 16).
Bangladesh contingent: Chef-de-mission – Mohammad Abdul Karim, NOC Attaché-Fakhruddin Haider, Physician- Debesh Chandra Talukder, NOC Staff -M Mehdi Hasan.
Ministry representatives: Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Arif Khan Joy, Naimur Rahman Durjoy MP: BOA representatives: Mohammad Deen and Jahangir Kabir
Athletics -Mesbah Ahmed and Shirin Akhter (both in 60-meter run), M Kitab Ali (team official),
Basketball – Tareq Aziz, Mithun Kumar Biswas, Shamsuzzaman Khan Shoyeb and Khaled Mahmud Akash (players) and Abhijit Sarkar (team official),
Handball- Chowdhury NA Alimuzzaman Chowdhury Kanon, Ashiqur Rahman Khan, Bipul Ghosh, Naharul Kawsain, Mahbubul Alam Chowdhury, Jamal Hossain, Imdadul Haque, Sudhan Barua, Towhidur Rahman and Kazi Rashed Newaj (players), M Nurul Islam and M Nasirullah (team offcials).
Men’s Kabaddi – Arshaduzzaman, Kamal Hossain, Ashraful Sheikh, Tipu Sultan, Zakir Hossain and Zayed Hossain (players), Ratan Kumar Saha and Abdul Jalil (team officials).
Women’s Kabaddi – Shahnaj Parvin Maleka, Farzana Akhter Baby, Sharmin Sultana Rima, Fatema Akhter Poly, Kazi Shaheen Ara Bristi and Rupali Akhter (players), Subimal Chandra Das and Roushan Akhter Chhabi (team officials)
Volleyball – Sayed Al Zabir and Shafiqur Rahman (players) and Golam Rasul Khan (official).
Marathon Swimming – Mahmudun Nabi (5-kilometer marathon swimming) and Seniat Khan (team official)
Wrestling – Mohammad Dipu (Under 70 kgs) and Sheikh Shepon (Under 80 kgs) and M Tabiur Rahman (team official).
Besides, Dr Farzana Akhter Bhuiyan Lipi, as doping control officer of OCA, and two technical officials of Kabaddi will also accompany the team as invitees of the games organizing committee.
