Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (February 12, 2024) asked the members of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) to stand with courage and sincerity to resist any ill attempt to ensure public security. “As the largest force in the country, you have to rightly perform the duty bestowed upon you. You will have to resist any evil move to protect the public safety. You should do it with honesty, courage and sincerity,” she said.    The prime minister made this call while addressing the 44th national rally-2024 of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP at Bangladesh Ansar-VDP Academy in Shafipur, Gazipur. She said it is a sacred duty of her government to ensure security to the people and investment, and uphold peace. Read more: PM directs to be active on GI products “To maintain political stability, proper economic environment and continuation of democratic governance are prerequisites for the overall development of the country,” she said, asking all to uphold such an environment in the country. Focusing on the country’s development attained during her government,  Hasina said Bangladesh now has capacity to tackle any situation. The PM requested all to work hard with honesty to continue the country’s development journey.    She recalled the contribution of the country’s largest force Ansar-VDP, having 61 lakh members and 42 battalions including two women battalions and a specialised battalion, to ensuring security to public and private structures and organisations.     Read more: Explore new markets for Bangladesh's export items: PM Hasina tells BGMEA The prime minister said if Ansar is asked to perform duty for any national cause, they do it properly. “Even now our Ansar members have been discharging their duties with very competence in various important places starting from different foreign embassies stationed in Bangladesh,” she said. She appreciated the role of Ansar members to protect the country’s assets, including that of Bangladesh Railways from arson violence unleashed by BNP-Jamaat group in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2023. Highlighting her government’s steps to modernise the Ansar and VDP,  Hasina said now the force is now earning fame at home and abroad. “We’ve been working to develop the Ansar and VDP,” she said. The PM reiterated her government’s conviction to protect the country from terrorism, militancy and drugs. “Our drive against corruption will always continue,” she said. She hoped the Ansar and VDP will continue their duty in containing the social diseases in future as well. Mentioning her government’s vision 2041 to build a Smart Bangladesh, PM Hasina said Ansar and VDP will also be developed as a smart force and will continue working for the development of the country. She said the government will make every village a smart and safe locality in Smart Bangladesh. On her arrival at the rally venue, the prime minister was received by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Director General of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP Major General AKM Aminul Haque. The Prime Minister inspected a parade of Ansar and VDP from an open jeep and received salute. She handed over eight types of special medals to 180 Ansar and VDP members for their bravery and praiseworthy services. The medals are Bangladesh Ansar Medal, President Ansar Medal, Bangladesh VDP Medal, President VDP Medal, Bangladesh Ansar Services Medal, President Ansar Services Medal, Bangladesh VDP Services Medal and President VDP Services Medal. The PM later witnessed a colourful cultural programme performed by Ansar and VDP members.

Army had a clear lead in the Bangabandhu 46th National Athletics Championships 2022 medal table after securing 15 gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze medals at the end of day two Saturday. At the Bangladesh Army Stadium in Banani, the second-placed Navy collected 11 gold, 15 silver and eight bronze medals. Bangladesh Ansar and VDP, Prison Directorate (Bangladesh Jail) remained in third place with one gold, one silver and two bronze medals each. Out of 40 events of the three-day national competition, 28 were decided in the first two days, featuring five new national records.   Three national records were made today – all by Navy women's athletes in the discus throw, 50000-metre run and 3000-metre run. Zafrin Akter made the day's first record in the women's discus throw covering a distance of 43.49 meters to break the 29-year-old event's record of 42.90 metres made by Josna Afroz in 1993. Read more: Bangabandhu National Athletics begins on Friday Rinki Biswas made the day's second record in the women's 5,000-metre run with a timing of 19:41.40 seconds to improve her previous record of 19: 57.50 seconds in the event. Shamsun Nahar Ratna set the day's third record in the 3,000-metre run with a timing of 10:39.55 seconds to break the event's record of 10:43.30 seconds made by Rinki Biswas in 2021.

Bangladesh Police and Bangladesh Ansar reached the final of the Walton 8th National Men’s Baseball Championship eliminating their rivals in the semis at Paltan Maidan in the capital on Sunday. Four-time champions Bangladesh Police will play final against the four-time runners-up Bangladesh Ansar on Monday (Jan 24) at 11 am at the same venue. Also read: National Chess: GM Enamul Hossain Razib emerges unbeaten champion Senior Executive Director of the meet’s sponsor Walton Group FM Iqbal Bin Anwar Dawn will be the chief guest in Monday’s final and later he will distribute the trophies. In the day’s semi-finals, Bangladesh Police defeated Dhaka District by 13-4 points while Bangladesh Ansar booked a seat for the final eliminating Angels Club by 18-3 points. Later in the day’s place deciding match, Dhaka District finished 3rd beating Angels Club by 6-0 points. Also read: V-Day Volleyball: Army clinch title beating Navy by 3-2 set

Country's celebrated weightlifter and SA Games gold medal-winning Mabia Akhter Simanta clinched gold with new record in her favourite 64 kgs weight category event of the Bangabandhu 9th Bangladesh Games held in Mymensingh District gymnasium on Wednesday. Mabia, a lifter of Bangladesh Ansar, smartly clinched the event's gold medal with new national mark lifting total 181 kgs -- 80 kgs in snatch and 101 kgs in clean & jerk. Read: 3-day Bangabandhu 44th National Athletics commences The previous best record of Mabia was 179 kgs made in the Inter-Services Weightlifting Competition held in 2018. Mila Akhter of Bangladesh Army won the event's silver lifting 132 kgs while Laboni Akhter of Shipahi Bagh JS took the bronze lifting 116 kgs. Read 3 IU female students win medals in Bangladesh Games  

Bangladesh Ansar won the Mujib Borsho National Women’s Kabaddi title, dethroning holders Bangladesh Police by 22-16 points in the final at National Kabaddi Stadium on Wednesday.

Bangladesh Ansar & VDP made a good start in the Bangabandu Federation Cup Men's Handball Tournament' 2020 beating Team Handball Dhaka by 50-17 goals in the opening match Saturday morning at the Shaheed (Capt) M Mansur Ali National Handball  Stadium here.

Bangladesh Army emerged champions clinching 8 gold, 7 silver and 2 bronze medals in the men’s senior events of the Mujib Borsho Trust Bank 17th National Senior-Junior Taekwondo Competition’2020 at the gymnasium of National Sports Council Tower here on Sunday.

Bangladesh Ansar and Police AC won their respective matches in the Bangabandhu Popular Life Insurance Premier Division Volleyball League at the Shaheed Nur Hossain National Volleyball Stadium here on Monday.

Bangladesh Ansar will play against BJMC in the final of the ongoing Bangabandhu 30th National Women’s Handball Championship’2020 at Shaheed (Captain) M Mansur Ali National Handball Stadium here on Tuesday.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) clinched the National Men’s Handball crown for the 9th time in a row beating Bangladesh Police by 31-17 goals in the final match of the Exim Bank 29th National Men’s Handball Championship at the Shaheed (Capt) M Mansur Ali National Handball Stadium here Wednesday afternoon.