Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday inaugurated the final round of the Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games 2023 in the capital. The curtain of the week-long final round was lifted at Bangladesh Army Stadium in Banani after the successful conclusion of the inter-upazila and inter-district phases, held from January 02 to 22, 2023. Some 4,000 (Under-17) promising athletes are taking part in the final round of the meet for the 193 gold, 193 silver and 287 bronze. They are competing under 24 disciplines including individual and team in the second edition of sports event. Meanwhile, both the men's and women's football competitions of the Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games 2023 held on the opening day of the meet at two city separate venues in the capital. Read more: Doing our best to keep economy going amid global recession: PM Hasina Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) organised the Youth Games for the first time in 2018. The main motto of the Games was to select future players for national teams in various disciplines and to groom the talents of young athletes. State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Zahid Ahsan Russel and BOA President General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed spoke at the opening ceremony, while BOA General Secretary Syed Shahed Reza delivered the welcome speech.

The first phase of the Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games 2023, organised by the Bangladesh Olympics Association (BOA), began Monday in eleven districts of the country. The first phase inter-upazila level competition of the Games kicked off at Chattogram, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Rangamati, Chandpur, Mymensingh, Narsingdi, Joypurhat, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Barguna and Lakshmipur. Former Chattogram City mayor AJM Nasir Uddin inaugurated the Games at MA Aziz Stadium in Chattogram at a function chaired by Deputy Commissioner (DC) and CJKS President Abu Bashar Mohammad Fakruzzaman. Read: National Handball: Dhaka, Chattogram, Bandarban, Kushtia top groups DC Dewan Mahbubur Rahman inaugurated the competition at Shaheed Bhulu Stadium in Noakhali and DC Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman at the Rafiquddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh. DC Abu Nayeem Mohammad Maruf Khan launched the competition at the Moslehuddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Narsingdi and DC Habibur Rahman in Barguna. DC Saidul Arif inaugurated the Games in Kurigram, DC Pankoj Ghose in Nilphamari and Lakshmipur-2 MP Nur Uddin Nayon in Lakshmipur. After the completion of the first phase on January 10, the inter-district second phase of the competition will be held during January 16-22. Read: Sri Lanka lift Women's International Beach Volleyball trophy The final phase of the competition will be held in Dhaka from February 26 to March 4. Boys and girls aged under 17, born after January 2, 2006, can participate in the competition by showing their birth certificates. With the new inclusion of cycling, gymnastics and rugby, the Games will feature 24 disciplines of sports. Around 50,000 athletes took part in the first Youth Games in 21 disciplines of sports. An athlete can compete in a maximum of eight events – six in individual and two in team events – in the first phase of the Games.