CA for dynamic sports arena
Unb, Dhaka
Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday said that the caretaker government wants to make room for the competent and responsible persons in the country's sports arena to keep it healthy, fair and dynamic.While addressing the function for distribution of the National Sports Award 2006 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium, he said his government is also determined to bring back right and democratic trend removing corruption and irregularities from the sports field. He distributed the prestigious state awards to 10 sports personalities -- M Hasanuzzaman Bablu and Khondokar Wasim Iqbal (football), Mohammad Rafique (cricket), Begum Sharmin Akter (shooting), M Ehtesham Sultan (hockey), Fouzia Huda Jui (athletics), Begum Mahmuda Sharif (swimming), Azad Abul Kalam (bodybuilding and weightlifting), Nayana Chowdhury (judo) and Lt Col (retd) MA Hamid (organiser). "We've seen in different times that the sports arena and sports organisations were politically influenced, which is not desirable. We're determined to raise the sports arena on a strong and permanent footing," the Chief Adviser said adding that his government wants to ensure participation of sports persons and sports loving people in the arena. He expressed his firm belief that the sports authorities would adopt a well-coordinated action plan and implement it in addition to formulating realistic policy guidelines to reap desired results in the sector. "We'll have to work with fresh spirit ignoring failures of the past -- lack of fair plan in the sports arena, negligence, aimless leadership and weakness of the management. For this, decentralisation of sports management in all spheres and giving priority to the participation of former players are necessary," he said. Each award carries a gold medal, Tk 20,000 cash and a citation. Youth and Sports Adviser Tapan Chowdhury presided over the function. Youth and Sports secretary Dr Golam Mostafa Talukder was also present. Advisers to the caretaker government, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Dhaka City Mayor, sports persons, leaders of sports federations, distinguished personalities and senior civil and military officials were present at the function. Dr Fakhruddin called for turning the practice of sports as social movement to build a healthy nation and stressed the need for giving special importance on practice of games at grassroots level across the country -- in clubs, schools and colleges. He also called upon all to spontaneously participate in such a movement.
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