The International Committee of The Red Cross (ICRC) has organized a T20 cricket tournament for people with physical disabilities (PwD) with a view to overcome the stigma associated with physical disabilities and create new opportunities.
The tournament began on Sunday and will continue till Wednesday. Six local cricket teams comprised of PwDs will participate in the tournament, which are Gopalganj Sporting Club, Dhaka, Hope for Disability Cricket Team, Dhaka, DDF Physical Challenge Cricket Team, B. Baria, Sylhet Physical Challenge Cricket Team, Sylhet, Tufan Physical Challenge Sporting Club, Satkhira and Unisurv Disabled Cricket Team, Cumilla.
ICRC has been engaging in sports activities for PwDs in Bangladesh since 2013 to transform community attitudes about these people by highlighting their capabilities.
The international NGO believes that sports can help reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with disabilities and can transform community attitudes towards PwDs by reducing the tendency to see the disability instead of the person.
ICRC organized the first ever international cricket tournament for PwDs in 2015. Five countries participated in the tournament while Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) supported the initiative.