Mohammad Shamsuzzaman Arafat, the country's premier triathlete, has finally received permission from his employer, Bangladesh Bank, to participate in the upcoming Ironman World Championship and Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
"I have just received the permission I was seeking. They (Bangladesh Bank) have granted me the leave I requested. I am feeling a bit relieved now. The next step for me is to start the visa processing," Arafat informed Dhaka Tribune Wednesday.
Previously, Arafat had been denied permission by his employer to take part in four international triathlon competitions, including the Ironman World Championship and Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
“I’m not a crying type of person but this was an issue due to which I couldn’t hold back my tears because there was a lot of effort. Now I feel really well,” he added.
He is poised to become the first and only Bangladeshi participant in these two Ironman World Championships, which are scheduled to be held in Finland on August 26-27 and in France on September 10 this year.
Arafat holds the position of deputy director at Bangladesh Bank.
He had submitted a leave application on June 20 this year, however, the higher officials rejected it at the end of the previous month.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports had issued a government order for him to participate in the four events on August 2.
Nevertheless, despite this official order, he encountered difficulties in securing the required permission, which was again denied last Sunday.