Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon on Sunday said the government aims to turn the next FIFA World Cup broadcasts into a revenue-generating initiative by capitalising on the tournament's vast advertising market, while continuing to ensure free access for viewers.
The minister made the remarks at a ceremony at the Information Department's conference room at the Secretariat, where the Ministry of Youth and Sports honoured the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for successfully facilitating the FIFA World Cup broadcasts.
The minister credited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman with making the broadcasts possible without any government expenditure.
"It was the Prime Minister's directive and farsighted decision that enabled us to ensure World Cup broadcasts for the people without spending public funds," he said.
Expressing gratitude for the recognition, the minister said it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to highlight such national achievements and innovative initiatives to audiences at home and abroad.
He said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Bangladesh Television (BTV), the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) and other stakeholders worked in close coordination to complete the broadcasting process within a very short timeframe.
"We had very little time to complete the task. Officials of the ministry, the BTV Director General and everyone involved worked tirelessly, while the Bangladesh Football Federation extended full cooperation through its coordination with FIFA," he said.
Swapon said that shortly after taking office, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman instructed the authorities to ensure that no one in the country would be deprived of watching the World Cup.
"However, our assessment showed that the amount spent by the government during the previous World Cup would be difficult to bear under the current economic realities. The Prime Minister then directed us to find an alternative solution, which ultimately enabled us to secure the broadcasts without spending government funds," he said.
The minister said the Prime Minister deserved the principal credit for the achievement, citing his "foresight, integrity and passion for sports."
He also praised the state minister for youth and sports, saying the country's sporting sector had gained fresh momentum within just a few months under his leadership and expressing hope that Bangladesh's sports would reach new heights.
Describing sports as one of the world's largest industries, Swapon said millions of people worldwide earn their livelihoods through sports, yet previous governments had failed to promote it as a respectable career for young people.
"If we can engage the younger generation in sports, culture and healthy recreation, they will grow into skilled human resources while staying away from drugs and other social vices," he added.
