The Bangladesh Athletics Federation (BAF) has named its 18th National Summer Athletics Competition after Arafat Rahman Koko, aiming to highlight his contribution as a sports organiser and inspire the younger generation to follow his legacy.
The three-day Koko 18th National Summer Athletics Competition 2026 will begin on October 23 at the National Stadium in the capital, with President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, is expected to grace the opening ceremony as the chief guest.
The BAF joint secretary Monzur Morshed told BSS that the initiative has been taken to recognise Koko's role in sports administration, particularly his contributions to the development of cricket in Bangladesh, and to ensure that the younger generation remains aware of his work.
"We want the present generation to know about Koko's contributions and remember him for his achievements as a sports organiser. We want to draw inspiration from his work to take athletics forward in Bangladesh," he said.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque will attend the inaugural ceremony as a special guest, while Water Resources Minister Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee is expected to attend as the chief guest on October 24.
The federation is also seeking the consent of State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir to attend the closing ceremony on October 25 as the chief guest.
The competition will feature 40 events- 22 for men and 18 for women-with around 800 athletes expected to participate from all 64 districts, different divisions and various services teams, including the Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Ansar, Border Guard Bangladesh and Bangladesh police.
Athletes from private universities and physical education colleges are also expected to compete in the mega tournament.
The competition men's event are 100m sprint, 200m sprint, 400m splint, 800m run, 1500m run, 3,000m steeplechase, 5000m run, 10,000m run, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 20km walk, marathon, 4x100 m relay, 4x400m relay, long jump, high jump, triple jump, pole volt, shot-put, discus throw, javelin throw and hammer throw while the women's event are 100m sprint, 200m sprint, 400m sprint, 800m sprint, 1500m sprint, 300m sprint, 500m sprint, 10,00m sprint, 100m hurdles, 4x400m relay, long jump, high jump, triple shot-put, discus throw and javelin throw.
The BAF joint secretary hopes the competition would help generate greater public interest in athletics, a sport it considers fundamental to international multi-sport events but one that remains underrepresented in Bangladesh.
"Athletics is the foundation of sports, yet our representation in major international competitions remains limited. We want to build a stronger athletics contingent for the Olympics, Asian Games and other international events," Morshed said further.
The federation joint secretary expressed optimism about the sport's future, citing the commitment of its president, other federation officials and sponsors to athletics development.
The prize money for the top three finishers-Taka 6,000 for gold-, Taka 4,000 for silver- and Taka 3,000 for bronze-winners.
Meanwhile competition sponsor has announced an exploit e-bike motorcycle for the competition's best athlete, while the federation decided to give additional rewards of Taka 20,000 for athlete who set new national record.
The BAF hopes sustained sponsorship and wider public participation will help strengthen athletics and improve Bangladesh's performance on the international stage.