Sports Reporter
The inaugural ceremony of the Bangabandhu 9th Bangladesh Games will be formally celebrated today at the country’s premier venue Bangabandhu National Stadium. Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina will virtually open the gala extravaganza as the chief guest. The PM will deliver her speech and formally declare the
country’s biggest sports event open at the country’s premier venue. Before Prime Minister’s speech, the athletes will enter the Bangabandhu National Stadium. Country’s star archer Roman Sana will conduct the oath ceremony and the athletes will follow him.
After that Secretary General of Bangladesh Olympic Association Syed Shahed Reza will deliver the address of welcome. State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel, MP, and President of Bangladesh Olympic Association and Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed will also speak highlighting the Games.
Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) is arranging the sports competitions with the assistance of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Sports Council (NSC) and the sports federations and associations, which are affiliated to NSC.
The Bangabandhu 9th Bangladesh Games is being held marking the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh. The gala extravaganza begins today and will conclude on April 10. Some of the events of the Games have already started.
A total of 5300 athletes will vie for the 1271 medals. The events of the mega competition are 31. The number of the gold medals are 378. The events of the gala extravaganza will be held at the 29 venues in seven districts.
The budget of the Games has been estimated for Tk 20 crore, while Bangladesh Government gave Tk 15 crore to BOA and BOA will bear rest of the expenditure from its own fund.
Secretary General of BOA Syed Shahed Reza said, ” We have taken all kinds of preparations to arrange the Games. Bangabandhu 9th Bangladesh Games will be held across the country. I hope everything will be finished successfully.”
Meanwhile, President of Bangladesh Olympic Association and Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed lit the torch of the Games at Tungipara in Gopalganj, the birthplace of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Wednesday. Later, the torch came to Bangladesh Olympic Association Bhaban by 18 athletes. Former footballer of Bangladesh National Football team Sheikh Aslam and former cricketer of Bangladesh National Cricket team Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu received the torch. Then they handed over the torch to State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel and Syed Shahed Reza.
Zahid Ahsan Russel handed over the torch to athlete Sharmin Akhter Ratna and boxer Jewel Ahmed. Sharmin Akhter and Jewel Ahmed will hand over the torch to golfer Siddiqur Rahman and swimmer Mahfuza Khatun Shila. They will fetch the torch at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today and lit the prime torch, which is situated at the country’s prime venue.
