DHAKA, Feb 17, 2024 (BSS) - The Commonwealth Karate Championship will be held from September 25-29 at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium in the city's Mirpur. 

Bangladesh Karate Federation is going to organize a big event for the first time in the country, said a press release. 

A total of 32 Commonwealth countries have already confirmed their registration and the organizers hoped that the number of participating countries will be increased further.

In this regards, a press conference was held today at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium to provide all the details of the meet.

Commonwealth Karate Federation president Sonny Pillay (8th Dan), who was present at the press conference as the chief guest said, informed that "If an event like the Commonwealth Karate Championship is organized in Dhaka, it'll have a positive impact on the country's economy because one and a half thousand athletes and officials from nearly forty countries across the world will come to Dhaka."

Bangladesh Karate Federation president Dr Mozammel Haque Khan, its vice president Moazzem Hossain Sentu and its general secretary Kaw Shaw Hla were also present.

In 2021, Bangladesh succeeded in presenting the proposal to be the host of this year at the Congress of the Commonwealth Karate Federation.

Out of the seventy two countries belonging to the Commonwealth, thirty two countries have already registered to participate in this championship. The competition will be held in nine disciplines in two categories - nations and club championships.

Cadets, juniors, U-21, seniors and veterans will compete in the club championship while cadets, juniors, U-21 and seniors will vie in the nations category. Nearly One and a half thousand karateka will fight in both kata and kumi category. 

Federation's president Dr. Mozammel Haque Khan said: "We have won the honor of hosting the Commonwealth Karate Championship by defeating four countries like Barbados, Trinidad, Tobacco and Bosnia. Now our challenge is to organize the game properly so that we can organize bigger events of karate in the future."

The accommodation, food and travel expenses of karatekas participating in the championship will be borne by their respective countries.
 The host country will get 40 percent of the Commonwealth and 60 percent of the money for the registration of karatekas in the Nations category.