The Prime Minister's Gold Cup, a nationwide football tournament for educational institutions, is set to bring together students from around 50,000 schools, colleges, madrasahs and technical and vocational institutions across Bangladesh.
According to the preliminary plan, the tournament is scheduled to begin by September 10 and conclude by October 30, with the detailed fixture to be announced later.
Participation will be mandatory for boys and optional for girls. Students from Class VI to Class XII enrolled in schools, colleges, madrasahs, and technical and vocational institutions will be eligible to take part, Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Spokesperson Mahdi Amin said at a press briefing at the Secretariat on Monday.
The briefing followed a meeting of the steering committee formed to oversee the tournament's organisation. The meeting, held at the Secretariat, was chaired by Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon.
Mahdi, also Prime Minister's adviser on education, briefed reporters on various aspects of the tournament after the meeting.
He said the government will provide all necessary support to ensure the successful holding of the tournament.
Mahdi said the initiative aims to create a festive atmosphere across the country while promoting students' creativity, leadership qualities and overall development through sports. "The Prime Minister always envisions an education system where students can fully demonstrate their talent, creativity and intellectual potential."
He said to achieve that goal, the education, youth and sports, and cultural affairs ministries will jointly organise year-round programmes and competitions nationwide.
The PMO spokesperson said the competition is intended to ensure equal opportunities for students regardless of whether they study in urban or rural areas.
"We want every educational institution in Bangladesh to have the opportunity to participate. We believe the tournament will help nurture leadership, talent and creativity among students," he said.
The Cabinet Secretary will hold a meeting with divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners on Tuesday to coordinate preparations through the local administration, Mahdi said.
The chairman of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee will also visit education boards across the country to discuss implementation with local education officials and institution authorities, while the Ministry of Education will ensure necessary coordination, he added.
The PMO spokesperson said the tournament will follow the format of the Primary School Gold Cup Football Tournament, which previously involved around 22 lakh students.
Matches will begin at the upazila level, followed by district, divisional and national rounds, with the final to be held at the national level.
Mahdi expressed hope that the Prime Minister will attend both the opening and closing ceremonies, saying the tournament is being organised under his direct patronage. "That is why it has been named the Prime Minister's Gold Cup Football Tournament," he said.
He also urged media organisations to highlight the achievements of participating students, saying proper recognition and encouragement will inspire them and contribute to their future success.
The PMO spokesperson said the government is committed to creating "a three-dimensional revolution" in education by integrating sports, culture and academic activities through well-planned policies and coordinated implementation.
He said several ministries, including the Ministries of Disaster Management and Relief, Textiles and Jute, Youth and Sports, Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, and Information and Broadcasting, will work together to ensure the successful organisation of the nationwide event.
Education Minister Milon, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu, State Minister for LGRD and Co-operatives Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Shariful Alam and State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque, among others, were present at the press conference.