Volleyball tournaments will be organised at the ward level, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam announced on Monday.

 “The second edition of the DNCC Mayor's Cup has started with the theme 'Stay involved in sports, keep drugs away'. Along with cricket and football, volleyball has been included in the Mayor's Cup tournament to advance it. To increase the popularity, volleyball tournaments will be organised at the ward level of DNCC,” he said.

Atiqul said this while inaugurating the volleyball event of DNCC Mayor's Cup Tournament at Uttara Sector Welfare Association ground in the capital.

"We’re organising the Mayor's Cup to send a message to future generations against drugs. There is no alternative to sports to build a drug-free country. This tournament is to encourage our children to play sports and keep drugs at bay. The youth should come to the field instead of sitting at home,” he said.

"We need playgrounds for sports. We have already developed and opened many fields from the city corporation.  When different developer companies design, playgrounds and parks are specified. But later they did not build the ground and park and sold it in the form of plots.I request everyone to ensure the ground and park as per the design,” said the mayor.

 “During the inauguration of the flyover in Kalshi, the honourable prime minister announced to make the Kalshi Balu field a field instead of building on it. Such an immediate decision is possible only for a sports-loving prime minister,” he said.

Like the first edition of the Mayor's Cup, 54 wards of DNCC and 18 wards of reserved women's seats are participating. In the volleyball discipline, 18 teams are competing in the men's division and 14 teams in the women's division.

Men's cricket, women's cricket and football disciplines will also be held soon.