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Prime Minister Khaleda Zia underscored Thursday the need for immediate formulation of a sports policy guideline to achieve the desired success in the field, reports UNB.
"There is no alternative to well-coordinated planning and its implementation to attain the desired results in sports," she told a National Sports Award 2004 function, attended by sports personalities, sports organisers and the award recipients.
Youth and Sports Ministry organised the award distribution ceremony at the International Conference Center (ICC) at the Prime Minister's Office complex.
Ten noted sports personalities and one sports organiser were awarded the National Sports Award 2004 at the function for their outstanding contributions in their respective pursuits.
Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman introduced the award in 1976 to nationally recognise the renowned players, who bring pride and honor for the nation and the country.
The Prime Minister distributed the awards among the recipients at the function. Each award comprises a gold medal, Tk 20,000 and a certificate.
The award recipients are: Mohammad Milzar Hossain (athletics), Enayetur Rahman Khan and Shahidur Rahman Chowdhury Shantoo (footbal), ASM Faruk (Cricket), Mohammad Abdul Malek Chunnu (hockey), Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman and Laila Noor Begum (swimming), Nasimul Hasan Kochi (table tennis), Khurshida Akhter Khushi (judu), Abdul Halim (boxing) and Dhaka City Mayor Sadeq Hossain Khoka (sports organizer).
State Minister for Youth and Sports M Fazlur Rahman presided over the function, also attended by ministers, MPs, political leaders, chiefs of three services, and senior civil and military officials.
Addressing the function, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia said people of all sections should take initiative to make sports attractive through giving priority to district and national sport organisations and associations apart from educational institutions.
She called upon officials of sports federations, leaders of local sport organizations and those receiving the national sports award Thursday to take effective steps considering the importance of the matter.
Begum Zia also urged them to revive various traditional games, including kabaddi and `gollachhut' by arranging competitions at regional and national levels.
Listing various steps taken by her government in last three and quarter years to flourishing sports in the country, the Prime Minister said a Tk 54.27 crore project has been taken up to set up regional BKSP. The work on Dinajpur regional BKSP involving Tk 8.36 crore is under completion.
A scheme has also been taken up to develop 80 playgrounds at the upazila level, she added.
Begum Zia said mere allocation of money and construction of establishments are not enough. Sincere and devoted efforts by sports men and women and organizers should have to be added to these to expedite development of sports and achieving dignity for the country in international sports arena, she said.
She mentioned various remarkable recent and past successes of Bangladesh in regional and international events, including the recent win in one-day cricket against India and the series victory in test and one-day matches against Zimbabwe.
Bangladesh would one day surely get a place of honor and dignity in the world sports arena if it could advance sustaining the continuation of these successes, she said.
Explaining the importance and benefit of sports, the Prime Minister said the sports also make significant contributions in building friendship among the countries and improving people-to-people relations.
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