The Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA) on Sunday honoured Mustafa Kamal, veteran journalist who led sports coverage at private news agency United News of Bangladesh (UNB) for close to four decades, for his lifetime contribution to sports journalism.

Another veteran sports writer, Major (retd) Shahabuddin Chakladar, was also honoured at the programme, held at a city hotel to mark World Sports Journalists Day, alongside the Max-BSPA Journalist Awards 2025.

Aminul Haque, former national football team goalkeeper and current State Minister for Youth and Sports, presented the honours and awards.

"Kamal bhai is an inspiration for our generation," BSPA President Rejwan uz Zaman told UNB. "UNB was one of the main sources of news when we started our careers, and Kamal bhai worked for UNB for a long time. He is one of the pioneers of sports journalism."

Kamal joined UNB in 1988, the year of its birth, and worked there for 37 years straight, till October 2025.

During his time at UNB, he covered the Mini World Cup cricket tournament held in Bangladesh in 1998, which was later renamed the ICC Champions Trophy, and the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

He also covered two Commonwealth Games, two Asian Games, one South Asian Games and the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, along with numerous international cricket and football matches.

"It was great to be honoured by the BSPA," Kamal said, keen to turn the spotlight away from himself, in keeping with the humility and dedicated professionalism for which he is still remembered in the newsroom. "It was a tremendous event."

At the same ceremony, Dainik Agamir Shomoy senior sub-editor Rahenur Islam was named Sports Journalist of the Year for the second time, receiving the Towfiq Aziz Khan Trophy and Tk 1 lakh prize. He also won the print and online interview category.

The other category winners included Shahjahan Kabir of Dainik Kaler Kantho (feature), Shamsul Haque Tenku of Prothom Alo (photography), SM Iqbal Kawsar of Somoy TV (exclusive report) and Arafat Zubayer of Dhaka Post (series report).

Max Group sponsored the awards for the 11th year in a row.