The three-day 48th National Athletics Championship 2025, organised by the Bangladesh Athletics Federation (BAF), began here on Monday at the National Stadium in Dhaka.

Adviser of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, LGRD and Cooperatives, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan inaugurated the three-day meet Monday afternoon as the chief guest.

BAF President Major General (Retd) Dr. Mohammad Nayeem Ashfaque Chowdhury presided over the inaugural function, conducted by BAF general secretary M Shah Alam.

Mohammad Ismail of Bangladesh Navy regained the country’s fasted man crown after three years in absence of injury-grabbed Bangladesh-origin English Athlete Imrarur Rahman, who clinched the 100-meter sprint gold medal four times in the National and Summer Athletics in the last three years.

Ismail clinched his 5th gold medal in the 100-meter gold after three years with a timing of 10.61 seconds on the first day of the three-day athletics on Monday while Rakibul Hasan of the same team finished runner-up to win the event’s silver clocking 10.63 seconds.

Another Navy athlete Shirin Akter celebrated her 16th 100-meter gold medal in the National and Summer Athletics to maintain her fasted woman crown intact with a timing of 12.01 seconds while Sumaiya Dewan of Bangladesh Navy, who grabbed 100-meter gold medal two years back beating Shirin Akhter, won the event’s silver clocking 12.15 seconds.

In an immediate reaction after winning the day’s gold medal, Shirin Akhter said, “My dream is to win the South Asian Games gold medal and I am preparing myself accordingly."

A total of 445 athletes from 41 teams representing different districts, divisions, universities and organizations are taking part in 40 events of the three-day meet — 22 for men and 18 for women.

A total of 12 events were finalized on the first day (Monday).