PM expects Bangladesh to produce swimming talents

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today expressed her firm optimism that the swimmers of Bangladesh would appear as global talent in near future through appropriate training and exercise.

The Prime Minister said while addressing the closing ceremony of the "Swimming Talent Hunt" at Swimming Pool Complex of Bangladesh Navy headquarters here today.

The Prime Minister enjoyed the final round of the swimming competition and distributed prize among the winners.

Sheikh Hasina said swimming is one of the most popular sports events of the riverine Bangladesh. Bangladesh Swimming Federation is making sincere efforts for quick progress of the event keeping pace with the world.

The brilliance showed by tiny swimmers in the "Swimming Talent Hunt" is it's real manifestation, she said adding that for the first time Bangladesh has got many talented swimmers through this competition.

Chief of Bangladesh Navy Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed, also the president of Bangladesh Swimming Federation (BSF) and BSF general secretary MB Saif Mollah spoke among others on the occasion.

Cabinet members, PM's advisors, chiefs of Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Air Force, senior civil and military officials, patrons of the sports were present.

The six-month talent hunt programme in search of the best swimmers was organized by the Bangladesh Swimming Federation (BSF) in collaboration with Bangladesh Navy in May last year.

Around 25,000 swimmers from 489 upazilas took part in the competition in four groups. Out of them 1275 swimmers were selected primarily and 160 swimmers were qualified for the second round.

Subsequently, the qualified swimmers were given three-month intensive training and out of them 60 swimmers were selected through final competition. The qualified swimmers would get opportunities of education and three-year training at home and abroad.

Pointing out the success of Bangladeshi swimmers in various international swimming events the Prime Minister said the swimmers with their achievements at global arena are brightening the country's image.

Sheikh Hasina said her government is making constant efforts for development of sports side by side country's socioeconomic development.
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The prime minister said until her Awami League government's assumption to power in 1996 there was no arrangement to train swimmers while they now could undergo training at home and abroad.

"The foremost aim of the Swimmer Talent Hunt Programme is to cerate world standard swimmers through training amateur boys and girls who learn how to swim in rural environment," she said.

Sheikh Hasina recalled with tribute the success of country's legendary swimmer Brojen Das who earned the repute of being the first Asian to cross the English Channel while decades later another Bangladeshi swimmer Mosharraf Hossain followed his footstep in crossing the Channel.

She said their successes proved that the Bangladeshis ability in swimming.

The premier said after the 1996 installation to power Awami League gave importance on attracting youths to sports and their expanded participation in different sports events beyond the country.

Pointing out her government's support to cricket the Prime Minister said Bangladesh is now the sixth best cricket country according to the ICC ranking and "in future Bangladesh will win world cup cricket".

Sheikh Hasina said she wants the Bangladeshi youths to secure dignified positions in every stage of the global arena including sports and therefore various sports tournaments are being arranged at school level to groom them up.

"Mini stadiums are being constructed in every upazila and swimming pools are being constructed in every district," she said.

The Prime Minister urged everybody to give importance on practice and promotion of homegrown sports.

Source: bss