The Chief of Army Staff General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq said yesterday that Bangladesh Army has raised its budget in sports sector for building sports infrastructure to facilitate training in different sports and games.
“Bangladesh Army has already taken decision to build a multi-storied indoor sports complex. I hope this type of infrastructure would help the Army athletes to develop their skills and also enhance their performance to a good extent,” said the Chief of Army Staff.
He was speaking as chief guest at a reception, hosted by Bangladesh Army at the Helmet Auditorium of Dhaka Cantonment, for the medal winning athletes of Army in the recently concluded 12th South Asian Games held in Guwahati and Shillong, India.
A total of 86 athletes of Bangladesh Army represented Bangladesh in 17 disciplines in the SA Games winning one gold, six silver and 28 bronze medals. Army athletes won 35 medals out of 75 won by Bangladesh contingent, according to an ISPR press release.
Bangladesh Army shooter sepoy Shakil Ahmed won the lone gold medal for the county in 50-metre free pistol event.
The Chief of Army Staff handed over prize money and crests to each of the medal winning athletes.
Gen Belal in his speech congratulated the medal winning athletes and urged them to keep it up in future.
Bangladesh Army who has a rich tradition in sports so far won eight gold, 38 silver and 74 bronze medals in different SA Games. It also bagged 30 gold, 28 silver and 18 bronze medals in Indo-Bangla Bangladesh Games. Apart from success in international field, Bangladesh Army has also been continued its success in different sports and games at national level.
Bangladesh Army entered into the national sports arena by participating in seven different disciplines in 1973, the press release added.