Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday urged professional players not to associate themselves with any political party or group, asking them instead to represent the country through their sporting excellence.
“In your professional sporting careers, you should not belong to any political party or group; rather, represent the country through your sporting excellence,” he said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the sports card and allowance distribution programme at his Tejgaon office.
Tarique encouraged players to achieve success on the global stage and uphold the country’s dignity in international sports.
The Prime Minister said he believes that with patriotism, determination and team spirit, nothing can stand in the way of their progress.
“I believe that if you have love for the country, strong determination and team spirit, no one will be able to hinder your successful journey,” he said.
He also said that sports are no longer just a hobby, entertainment or physical exercise, but are now recognised worldwide as a profession. “Bangladesh will not fall behind.”
“Just as accounting, engineering and the legal field are professions, sports is also becoming a profession. Bangladesh will not fall behind,” Tarique said.
Earlier, the Prime Minister formally launched the programme by pressing a button on a laptop through which Tk 100,000 was transferred to each athlete via Sonali Bank’s online system.
He also handed over sports cards to 129 athletes and honoured those who achieved success at the international level.
Tarique outlined his government’s plans to develop professional athletes and expand the country’s sports sector.
He said the programme is unique as it brought together individuals who are completely non-political but have earned significant recognition for the country through their own merit.
Referring to competition, Tarique said every winner has an opponent and it is through competition that victory becomes meaningful and enjoyable for both the individual and the nation.
The Prime Minister said defeat in sports does not mean failure but is part of the journey towards success.
Quoting Albert Einstein, he said a person who has never failed has never tried anything new, emphasising the importance of effort and perseverance in achieving success.
The Prime Minister also said his government is working to ensure the financial safety and stability of the sportspersons.
“To ensure that a player who takes up sports as a profession does not suffer from financial uncertainty or hardship for themselves and their families, the current government has started bringing players under a salary structure based on a specific policy,” he said.
The Prime Minister said his government had pledged to establish sports as a profession and has already begun implementing that commitment.
Tarique said steps have been taken to gradually bring athletes under a structured salary system so that they can pursue sports professionally without financial uncertainty.
Tarique said the government has also introduced various welfare programmes, including family cards, allowances for imams and religious leaders, and canal excavation projects to improve people’s living standards.
He announced that the ‘Farmers Card’ programme will begin on April 14, adding that the ‘Sports Card’ initiative is part of the government’s broader effort to fulfill its promises.
The Prime Minister said athletes with physical disabilities who can contribute to sports will also receive sports cards. Under the theme ‘Sports for All’, the government has taken initiatives to support underprivileged and peple with special needs in sports both at home and abroad.
He said although cricket and football are the most popular sports in the country many other disciplines—such as archery, boxing, gymnastics, swimming, athletics, karate, table tennis, kabaddi, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, futsal and badminton—have strong potential to bring international recognition if given proper support.
Referring to recent success, he noted that Bangladesh recently became champions in SAFF women’s futsal for the first time.
The Prime Minister said the government has taken short-medium-and long-term plans to establish sports as a profession.
He also said there are plans to make sports compulsory from Class IV in the education curriculum so that children can develop interest and skills from an early age.
The Education Ministry has already started work to revise the curriculum to include sports, he said.
Tarique also announced that ‘Notun Kuri Sports’ will be launched nationwide to identify young talent. The programme will begin from Sylhet on April 30.
He noted that the original ‘Notun Kuri’ programme, launched in 1976, played an important role in discovering young talent and has recently been revived on Bangladesh Television.