More than 200 runners in Dhaka have taken part in the “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Dhaka Marathon”, marking the father of the nation’s Homecoming Day, the landmark day when he stepped back into the independent country he carved out from Pakistan.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan inaugurated the event at 6 am at Dhaka Army Stadium on Sunday.
“Bangabandhu Marathon is the biggest sporting event globally in 2021. This event will be a milestone in the arena of sports,” he said.
Besides Bangladeshi participants, runners from France, Kenya, Ethiopia, Bahrain, Belarus, Ukraine and Morocco and at least 37 athletes from Maldives, Nepal, India, Lesotho and Spain are taking part in the marathon.
The home minister thanked the National Implementation Committee on Birth Centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Armed Forces, Bangladesh Athletics Federation and Bangladesh Olympic Association for organising the marathon.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russell was also present at the inauguration ceremony.
The event has been divided into three categories — the full marathon, half marathon and digital marathon.
As many as 100 runners from home and abroad are taking part in the 42.195-km full marathon while 100 are running the 21.097-km half marathon.
Among the foreign athletes, 17 are running in the ‘elite’ class and 12 in the ‘sub-elite’ class.
Bangladeshi participants include general runners along with army and Ansar members, according to the Inter Service Public Relation or ISPR.
Starting at 6:30 am at the Army Stadium, the marathon will reach Hatirjheel via Banani and Gulshan, where the half marathon will end after two rounds and the full marathon after five rounds.
Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed attended the closing ceremony at 11 am.
The organisers have arranged a digital marathon in the virtual platform where anyone from around the world can register and run 5 km at places of convenience.
A mobile app has been introduced for the runners to register by paying Tk 100 and Tk 20 for locals and $5 for foreigners.
Champions of the full marathon in the foreign elite category for both men and women will bag $15,000.
For the winners from Bangladesh and SAARC countries in the men and women’s categories, the prize money is Tk 500,000.
Runners finishing up to fifth place in all categories are eligible for prizes.
Source: bdnews24.com
