To mark the anniversary of the founding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday, the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA), with overall support from the Bangladesh Army, organized a colorful rally in Dhaka on Tuesday.
The inaugural ceremony of the rally was graced by the President of the Bangladesh Olympic Association and Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-uz-Zaman, SBP, OSP, SGP, PSC, who attended as the chief guest.
With the theme "Let's Move," the primary goal of the rally was to encourage athletes and people from all walks of life to engage in physical activities and sports, and to inspire others to do the same, according to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations.
Simultaneous rallies were held in seven divisional cities across the country with the support of the respective divisional sports associations.
In Dhaka, the central rally started at 6:30am from the Bangladesh Shishu Academy, passing through Shikkha Bhaban, the Bangladesh Secretariat, Zero Point, and GPO, before concluding at Gate No 1 of the National Stadium.
More than 2,000 sports enthusiasts, including national-level athletes, coaches, organizers, officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Council, as well as members of military and civilian organizations, participated in the rally.
After the rally, a cultural program was held at the National Stadium, performed by the Bangladesh Army Orchestra.
The chief of army staff also presented special honors and certificates to the attending Olympians.
Participants described the event as lively and festive, and expressed their gratitude to both the BOA and the Bangladesh Army for organizing such a vibrant celebration.