Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the country’s biggest tennis tournament through videoconferencing from her official residence Gonobhaban.
Khulna City Corporation Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque, Sheikh Helaluddin, MP, Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel, MP, Abdus Salam Murshedy, MP, M Akhteruzzaman Babu, Khulna Divisional Commissioner Dr M Anwar Hossain Hawlader and District Council Chairman Sheikh Harun-ur Rashid and Deputy Commissioner of Khulna Mohammad Helal Hossain joined the videoconferencing from Sheikh Russell International Tennis Complex here.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said apart from education, the government is paying special attention to sports and cultural activities as part of its efforts to make the children worthy citizens of the country.
“The prime task of the government is to make the children as worthy citizens. We’ve undertaken various programmes for that purpose,” she said.
She said the government believes that sports should get the same importance to make the people of the country as worthy citizens.
The tournament began at the Sheikh Russel International Tennis complex Wednesday afternoon through men’s singles matches with two Bangladeshi players making good start winning their first round matches.
Milon Hossain of Bangladesh beat Suwaed Ali Jahmim of Iraq by 2-1 sets, Biplab Ram of Bangladesh outplayed his rival from Cameroon by straight 2-0 sets while Saiful Islam of Australia beat Asif Newaj of Pakistan by 2-1 sets.
A total of 64 tennis players from 21 clubs of 19 countries -- 50 foreign players and 14 local players – including 10 women’s are taking part in the tournament.
The participating countries are the USA, Mongolia, South Korea, Iraq, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Australia, Cameroon, Tunisia, Italy, India, Pakistan, the UK and hosts Bangladesh.