Photo: PID

DHAKA, July 26, 2026 (BSS) - State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque today said the present government has embarked on a long-term journey from "zero" with the goal of winning an Olympic medal.

He made the remarks while addressing a thanksgiving programme on the broadcast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the conference room of the Press Information Department (PID) here.

At the function, State Minister Aminul Haque, on behalf of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, presented a special letter of appreciation and floral greetings to Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon and State Minister Yasser Khan Choudhury for successfully completing the FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast without spending any government revenue through a completely corruption-free process.

Outlining Bangladesh’s future roadmap in international sports, Aminul Haque said, “Prime Minister Tarique Rahman asked just two days ago—when will we win an Olympic medal? We have started working for the Olympics from absolute ‘zero’. Change may not come overnight, but we are moving forward with a long-term target of the next five years or more so that Bangladesh can stand tall at the world’s biggest sporting event.”

He said the newly launched ‘Notun Kuri Sports’ programme would serve as the main platform for developing talented athletes from the grassroots. 

“The best selected athletes aged between 10 and 14 years will be accommodated at BKSP at government expense, where all costs related to their education and sports training will be borne by the government. Instead of making temporary preparations for a particular tournament, year-round training will be provided to athletes in eight selected events,” he added.

Referring to the living standards and professionalism of athletes, the former national sports star said the government is giving the highest priority to ensuring their social and financial security. Around 300 athletes have already been brought under a regular sports allowance programme. Within the next month, another 200 athletes, coaches, trainers and referees will be included under the scheme, he added. 

This, he said, would help establish sports as a secure and respectable profession for guardians and young people.

Urging efforts to keep the younger generation away from mobile device and drug addiction, State Minister Aminul Hoque said the government has undertaken a project to establish a playground on at least eight bighas of land in each of the country's 4,599 unions to expand opportunities for sports. At the same time, efforts have been intensified to recover and renovate playgrounds that have been encroached upon in different parts of the country, he said.

He also said Bangladesh would participate in the upcoming Asian Games in September and expressed hope that, with proper nurturing, the country would one day secure a place in world football.

Among others, Information and Broadcasting Ministry Secretary (routine responsibility) Md Shah Alam and Principal Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed were present at the programme.