Govt to do everything necessary for sports development: PM

Sports Correspondent: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accorded a gala reception to the country's leading athletes who brought glory for the nation at the international level over the past six months and handed over Taka one lakh each.

The reception was accorded to as many as 339 athletes at Ganabhaban, the official residence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday evening.

During this time, Ganabhaban resounded with the presence of the huge number of sports celebrities.

The premier first handed over the keys of apartments to three the 2016 South Asian Games gold medallists - swimmer Mahfuza Khatun Shila, weightlifter Mabia Akter Simanta and shooter Shakil Ahmed.

She later handed over medals and cheques for money to the players of Bangladesh Women Cricket Team, Bangladesh National Cricket Team, Bangladesh Women Soccer Team, Bangladesh Under-14 Football Team, Bangladesh Deaf Cricket Team, the Bangladesh Special Winter Olympics Team, Bangladesh Men and Women Archery Teams, Bangladesh Roller Skating Team, Bangladesh Men and Women Handball Teams, Bangladesh Hockey Team, Bangladesh Shooting Team, Bangladesh Weightlifting Team, Bangladesh Volleyball Team, Bangladesh Junior Women Badminton Team.

Mashrafee Bin Martuza, the captain of National ODI Cricket Team and T20 Cricket Team, received Taka one crore and Mushfiqur Rahim, the skipper of Bangladesh National Test Cricket Team received Taka one crore from the prime minister.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board gave the money to the Bangladesh cricket team for their stunning performance against Sri Lanka.

Sheikh Hasina also handed over Taka one crore each to Bangladesh Hockey Federation and Bangladesh Swimming Federation. Bangladesh Cricket Board recently pledged to give the money as donations to the two federations.

She also gave Taka 10 lakh to Bangladesh Under-16 Women Team which became champion in AFC Regional Championship held in Dhaka in August last. The BCB gave this donation to the Under-16 Women Football Team.

Skipper of the team Sabina Khatun and coach Golam Rabbani Chotaan received the cheques from the prime minister.

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister congratulated the players and officials of Bangladesh teams and said that the government does everything necessary for the development of sports and games in the country and will do the same in future.

Putting emphasis on practising sports and games side by side with education, she called upon the well-off people to accelerate the government's efforts for promotion of sports and games.

As many as 339 athletes, coaches and officials attended the over one-hour long programme.

Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, State Minister for Youth and Sports Dr Biren Shikdar, Deputy Minister Arif Khan Joy, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Sports Ministry Zahid Ahsan Russel, Awami League's Youth and Sports Secretary Harunur Rashid and Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hasan Papon were present on the occasion.

risingbd/DHAKA/Apr 16, 2017/Aminul/Amirul