Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation (BKF) general secretary SM Newaz Shohag. File Photo

DHAKA, May 10, 2025 (BSS)-Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation (BKF) general secretary SM Newaz Shohag said the Festival of Youth, which was organized for the time in the country, was a timely decision by the present interim government for the development of sports.

“I would like to say that the decision of organizing the Festival of Youth was government’s timely decision as it will play an important role for the development of overall sports of the country,” said Shohag while talking to BSS.

He said: “The Festival of Youth needs to continue because if the government organises such an event every year, it’ll be easier for us to do our works properly. As you know we remain busy with the federation round the year, so we don’t get favorable time to launch talent hunt programme … I think if the government continues this Festival of Youth and provide all kind of cooperation to the federations, then it’ll be easier for us to organize the process timely.”

During the Festival of Youth in January last this year, the BKF organized nationwide kabaddi competition across the country with the youth and after the competition the federation picked up fifty selected boys and equal number of girls to provide them higher training.

The BKF general secretary informed that they have already selected hundred boys and girls (50 boys and 50 girls) through the Festival of Youth and they will be brought under training under the foreign as well as local coach from this month.

Terming the hunting process as very important for all federations, especially in Kabaddi, Shohag said if the government brings the Festival of Youth under a time frame every year; the federations would be able to complete the talent hunt process without any hindrance. 

The talented players, selected from the hunting process, would represent the national team in the future and the national team pipeline would also be enriched, he added.

Replying to a question, the federation general secretary said many federations of the sports arena have financial limitation and face problem to keep sports on the field round the year. Without the government support it would not be possible to conduct the training properly.

The general secretary thinks that the government also needs to pay more attention in this regard.