The Qatar Foundation has pledged support to develop sports facilities for Bangladeshi women athletes in a move aimed at strengthening their capacity and supporting their careers, the foundation's executive head said on Tuesday.
Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, CEO of the Qatar Foundation, made the announcement during a meeting with Bangladesh Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the Earthna Summit in Doha, Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Azad Majumder told BSS.
Four Bangladeshi national players—two from cricket and two from football—were present at the meeting, where they shared their personal journeys and the challenges they have faced in pursuing sports careers in Bangladesh.
Sheikha Hind, a former top Qatari athlete and sister of the amir, was visibly moved by their stories and expressed admiration for their resilience.
The players highlighted the lack of basic facilities such as dormitories, gyms, and training centres for women athletes in Bangladesh.
In response, Sheikha Hind said the Qatar Foundation will support the establishment of a dedicated foundation in Bangladesh to build and manage these facilities.
Yunus affirmed that the foundation for women athletes will be set up soon and requested the Qatar Foundation’s full support in developing dormitories, training fields, healthcare services, conference spaces, and accommodations for international guests.
The Bangladeshi foundation will also help conduct special short courses for sports girls from Saarc, Bimstec, Asean, and Middle Eastern countries, as well as rural areas of Bangladesh, the chief adviser said.
He also shared his vision to launch a social business fund aimed at helping retired athletes transition into entrepreneurship—an idea Sheikha Hind welcomed and expressed interest in supporting.
Earlier, Yunus also met Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of the Qatar Foundation and mother of the amir.
Their discussion covered various areas of cooperation between the two nations.
Sheikha Moza expressed her interest in visiting Bangladesh in the near future.
