Expressing her firm optimism that Bangladesh would further advance in games and sports, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday assured that her government would do everything for its development, reports BSS. "We want Bangladesh to progress further in games and sports where the boys and girls equally perform ... we would take measures to create more scopes in the field," she said.
The premier was distributing trophies and prizes among the winners of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup and Bangamata Begum Fazilatun Nesa Mujib Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournaments-2016 at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka yesterday afternoon.
Sheikh Hasina also expressed the hope that boys and girls would be more patriotic by participating in games and sports on behalf of Bangladesh.
"We want that everybody would give attention to games and sports ... our aim is to go ahead in every field," she said. In this connection, the prime minister urged the people of all strata, especially teachers, guardians, public representatives and well-off people to further spur the boys and girls in practising games and sports alongside study.
"You will have to take initiatives so that schools could get all kinds of support for the promotion of sports," she said.
Elaborating her government's measures for the development of sports, Sheikh Hasina said the government has taken a decision to build a "mini stadium" in every upazila.
"Not in the playgrounds of schools and colleges, the (mini) stadium would be constructed at separate places so that the practice of sports takes place there throughout the year," she said.
Mentioning that games and sports is essential for sound health and mind, the prime minister said Awami League government keeping this in mind is giving priority to games and sports.
"Games and sports teaches discipline, perseverance, responsibility, dutifulness and tolerance and accelerates flourishing culture," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her government is distributing sports materials to educational and sports institutions alongside arranging sports competitions. "We have increased financial grants for expansion of games and sports," she said.
The prime minister said Bangladeshi athletes are demonstrating their success in the national and international arenas. "Our girls clinched the regional championship title in the AFC under-14 football and became runners up in the women soccer championship held in India," she said.