PM Hasina distributes National Sports Award to 85 persons, organisers

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday distributed the ‘National Sports Award’ to 85 sports persons and organisers in recognition to their glorious contribution to the country’s sports arena.

The Prime Minister joined the award distribution ceremony, which was held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium, as the chief guest from her official residence, Gonobhaban.

The prime minister asked the authorities concerned to provide the award every year for encouraging players as well as organisers and for the overall progress of the sports.

On behalf of the Prime Minister, State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Zahid Ahsan Russel, MP, handed over the awards among the recipients and addressed the occasion as its chair.

Chairman of the ministry’s parliamentary standing committee Abdulla Al Islam Jacob was present while its Secretary Mesbah Uddin gave the address of welcome.

A video documentary on development of the sports was also screened at the function.

Earlier, the Ministry of Youth and Sports nominated 85 sports persons and organisers for this prestigious National Sports Award in recognition of their contribution to the country’s sports during 2013 to 2020.

Each of the awardee will receive an 18-carat of gold medal weighing 25 grams, a cheque of Taka 100,000 and a certificate.

Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s second son Shaheed Lt. Sheikh Jamal was given the award (posthumous) as player and organiser for the year 2020.

Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel, MP received the award on behalf of Sheikh Jamal, who was a pioneer in the country’s sports arena.

A total of 340 players and organisers applied for this award after publishing advertisement in newspapers. Some 49 applications submitted for 2013 while 53 applications for 2014, 30 applications for 2015, 33 applications for 2016, 39 applications for 2017, 58 applications for 2018, and 78 applications for 2019 and 2020. Three separate committees were formed for scrutinising the applications and they sent a short list to the national selection committee.

The national selection committee recommended 11 persons for 2013, 10 persons for 2014, 11 persons for 2015, 13 persons for 2016, 11 persons for 2017, 10 persons for 2018, 11 persons for 2019 and eight persons for 2020 as players and organisers.

For 2020: Freedom Fighter Shaheed Lt. Sheikh Jamal (posthumous) as player and organiser, Freedom Fighther Afzalur Rahman Sinha (posthumous) as organiser (cricket), Nazmul Abedin Fahim as organiser (cricket coach), Md Mohsin as player (football), Md Mahabubul Ahsan Rana as player (hockey), Grandmaster Mollah Abdullah Al Rakib as player (Chess), Begum Mst Nilufa Yasmin as player (athletics), Abdul Kader Smaran as player (Badminton).

2019: Tanveer Mazhar Tanna as organiser (football), Arun Chandra Chakma (posthumous) (athletics), Lt. Gen. (rtd.) Md Moinul Islam as organiser (Archery), Dipu Roy Chowdhury as player (Cricket), Kazi Nabil Ahmed as organiser (football), Intekhabul Hamid as organiser (Shooting) , Begum Mahfuzur Rahman Tania as player (swimming), Begum Farhana Sultana Sheela as player (Cycling), Tutul Kumar Nag as player (hockey), Mahbubur Rab as player (badminton), Begum Sadia Akhter Urmi as player (table tennis).

2018: Farida Akhter Begum as organiser (athletics), Zyotsna Afroze as player (athletics), Md Rafique Ullah Akhter Milon as organiser (athletics), Kazi Anwar Hossain as player (football), Md Shawkat Ali Khan Jahangir as organiser (football), Meer Rabiuzzaman as player (gymnastic), Mohammad Alamgir Alam as player (hockey), Taiyeb Hassan Shamsuzzaman as organiser (Refry), Nibedita Das as player (swimming), Mahmudul Islam Rana as organiser (Taekwondo).

2017: Shahria Sultana as player (weight lifting), Awlad Hossain as organiser (judo, karate and marshal art), Wasif Ali as player (basketball), Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Mamun as organiser (gymnastic), Md Selim Miah as player (swimming), Hazi Md Khurshed Alam as organiser (rowing), Abu Yusuf as player (football), ATM Shamsul Alam as organiser (table tennis), Rahima Khanam Juthi as player (athletics), Asaduzzaman Kohinur as organiser (handball) and Md Mahbub Harun as player (hockey).

2016: Mohammad Moniruzzaman as player (swimming), Lt. Com. AK Sircar (rtd.) as organiser (basketball), Begum Sultana Parveen Lovely as player (athletics), Freedom Fighter Shamim-Al-Mamun as organiser (volleyball), Arif Khan Joy as player (football), Khandker Rakibul Islam as player (football), Mohammad Jalal Yunus as organiser (cricket), Md Tofazzal Hossain as organiser (athletics), Kajol Dutta as player (weight lifting), Md Tabiur Rahman Palwan as organiser (Kusti), Z Alam (posthumous) as organiser (football), Abdur Razzak Sona Miah (posthumous) as player (hockey) and Kazi Habibul Bashar as player (cricket).

2015: Professor Sheikh Abdus Salam as organiser (carom), Md Ahmedur Rahman as player and organiser (gymnastic), Ahmed Sazzadul Alam as organiser (cricket), Khaza Rahamatullah (posthumous) as player (hockey), Mahtabur Rahman Bulbul as player and organiser (basketball), Begum Farhad Jesmin Liti as player (athletics), Barun Bikash Dewan as player (football), Rehana Zaman as player (swimming), Md Jewel Rana as player (football), Begum Jesmin Akhter as player (weight lifting, karate and taekwondo), Begum Shewly Akhter Sathi as player (badminton).

2014: Shamsul Bari (posthumous) as player and organiser (hockey), Enayet Hossain Siraj as organiser (cricket), Md Fazlur Rahman Babul as organiser (football), Syed Shahed Reza as organiser (handball), Md Imtiaz Sultan Jony as player (football), Mohammad Ahsan Namim as player (hockey), Begum Kamrun Nesa as player (athletics), Md Shamsul Islam as player (swimming), Murel Gomez as player (athletics), and Md Zobaydur Rahman Rana as player (badminton).

2013: Mozaffar Hossain Paltu as player and organiser (cricket), Kazi Mahtab Uddin Ahmed as organiser (handball), Wing Commander (rtd.) Mohiuddin Ahmed as organiser (weight lifting), Samsul Huq Chowdhury as organiser (football), Freedom Fighter Md Shahjahan Mizi as player (swimming), Rokeya Begum Khuki as player (athletics), Begum Munira Morshed Khan Helen as player (table tennis), Md Elias Hossain as player (football), Begum Jyotsna Akhter as player (athletics), Bhola Lal Chouhan as player (Squash) and Khaled Mahmud Sujon as player (cricket).