State Minister for Youth and Sports, Aminul Haque, has directed 51 national sports federations to submit comprehensive reports on their successes and failures over the past year within seven days.
The directive followed a three-hour meeting at the National Sports Council on Sunday, where officials from various bodies, including the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), voiced concerns over financial and infrastructural shortages. While cricket remains stable, most federations cited low budgets, lack of office space, and inadequate training facilities as major hurdles.
In a significant policy shift, the Minister announced plans to bring national-level athletes under a formal salary structure.
"We want to provide a fixed salary for players who represent Bangladesh with honor," Aminul stated. "I have asked the federations to provide a list of eligible athletes. We will verify these names and aim to implement the structure after Eid."
Beyond athlete welfare, the Ministry is exploring ways to make sports more affordable. Aminul noted that discussions are underway with the Finance Ministry, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), and Bangladesh Bank to reduce or waive taxes on sports equipment. The Ministry also plans to leverage Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds to bolster sports financing.
Addressing the leadership crisis in many federations currently run by ad-hoc committees, the Minister emphasized a return to democratic processes. He confirmed that elections will be organized sequentially, starting from the upazila level and moving up to district and divisional stages.
The Ministry’s "New Bud Sports" action plan is also slated for launch immediately after the Eid holidays.
Comment
