The Qatar Foundation has pledged support to develop sports facilities for Bangladeshi women athletes. Photo : CA's Facebook

DOHA, Qatar, April 23, 2025 (BSS) - The Qatar Foundation has pledged support to develop sports facilities for Bangladeshi women athletes, in a move aimed at strengthening their capacity and supporting their careers, the Foundation's executive head said on Tuesday.

Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, CEO of the Qatar Foundation, made the comments during a meeting with Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the Earthna Summit in Doha, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told BSS.

Four Bangladeshi national players—two from cricket and two from football—were also present at the meeting, where they shared their personal journeys and the challenges they’ve faced in pursuing sports careers in Bangladesh.

Sheikha Hind, a former top Qatari athlete and sister of the Emir, was visibly moved by their stories and expressed admiration for their resilience.

The players highlighted the lack of basic facilities such as dormitories, gyms, and training centers for women athletes in Bangladesh.

In response, Sheikha Hind said the Qatar Foundation will support the establishment of a dedicated foundation in Bangladesh to build and manage these facilities.

Prof Yunus affirmed that the foundation for women athletes would be set up soon and requested Qatar Foundation’s full support in developing dormitories, training fields, healthcare services, conference spaces, and accommodations for international guests.

The Bangladeshi foundation will help conducting special short courses for sports girls from SAARC BIMSTEC ASEAN and Middle East countries and rural areas of Bangladesh, the Chief Adviser said.

He also shared his vision to launch a social business fund aimed at helping retired athletes transition into entrepreneurship—an idea Sheikha Hind welcomed and expressed interest in supporting.

Earlier, Prof Yunus also met Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation and mother of the Emir.

Their discussion covered various areas of cooperation between the two nations.

Sheikha Moza expressed her interest in visiting Bangladesh in the near future.