State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque announced that the government has allocated BDT 200 crore for athletes. He stated that this fund will ensure allowances and necessary facilities for sportspersons holding sports cards, alongside regular evaluations based on their performance.
He made these remarks at a meeting held on Sunday (October 4) at the Secretariat, aimed at undertaking necessary activities to ensure benefits for sports cardholders.
During the meeting, the State Minister for Sports outlined the government’s plans to provide various civic and transportation facilities to athletes. He mentioned initiatives are being taken to offer amenities to athletes across railways, air travel, and roadways.
Aminul Haque stated that the government is working with the goal of inspiring athletes with patriotism, enabling them to play with hope and confidence, and ensuring their professionalism.
He informed that 300 athletes in the country have already been issued sports cards and brought under the allowance scheme. There are plans to gradually bring a total of 500 athletes under this facility. Eligible and high-performing athletes will also be progressively added to the list.
The State Minister for Sports added that another 95 athletes will soon be brought under this program. Already, 31 individuals have been exempted from the allowance. The list of athletes will be updated every four months based on performance evaluations. This process will see some removed from the list due to performance, while eligible new athletes will be included.
Aminul Haque also addressed Bangladesh’s non-participation in the T20 World Cup at this time. Reiterating that Bangladesh did not play in the World Cup due to personal reasons, as stated previously, he emphasized that awareness would be maintained to prevent the recurrence of such decisions in the future.
The State Minister also stressed the importance of long-term preparation for better results for Bangladeshi athletes in the international arena. The goal is to compete for Olympic medals five years from now. He also mentioned that year-round training would be arranged in preparation for important international competitions, including the Asian Games.
Furthermore, Aminul Haque stated that initiatives would be taken to ensure civic amenities for athletes, thereby helping them to focus more on their sports.