Congratulations to Dipu Chakma for winning the first gold medal for Bangladesh at the 13th South Asian Games earlier this week in Taekwondo. Congratulations are also in order for Al Amin Islam, Marzan Akter Priya, and Humaira Akther Antara, who won three more gold medals in Karate.
It is testament to the athletic talent that exists in our country that we have already won four gold medals -- the same number won in total in the earlier edition of the South Asian Games.
Nevertheless, when it comes to the country’s overall sporting sector, it is tragic that actual support has been nothing if not minimal from the authorities concerned.
We all know the importance that cricket holds for our country and our people, and the Bangladesh cricket team, in recent years, has made improvements and enjoyed success, particularly in the shorter formats of the game.
However, this, unfortunately, means that we turn a blind eye to other sports and games in the country.
There is little doubt that talent exists in our country, but that talent will continue to go to waste if we do not identify, recognize, and nurture it.
This means that the government and authorities concerned must invest in sports other than cricket.
For a country with such a massive youth population, and with passionate fans who are interested in all kinds of sport, it is regrettable that we have been unable to compete on the global stage in any other sport besides cricket.
To that end, let us celebrate the achievements of these women and men who overcame the odds, and we hope that the authorities take heed of these achievements and support our athletes to reach newer heights.
