The Ministry of Youth and Sports Thursday named 10 sports personalities and two organizations in eight categories for the prestigious Sheikh Kamal National Sports Council Award 2023 in recognition of outstanding contribution to sports.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel announced the names of the awardees at a press conference at the NSC conference room.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to distribute the awards Saturday at 9:30 am at the city's Osmani Memorial Auditorium on the occasion of the 74th birth anniversary of Shaheed captain Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Abdus Sadek, the legendary hockey player and former captain of Bangladesh national team, will be honored with the prestigious “lifetime achievement" award.
Women's football team captain Sabina Khatun, cricketer Taskin Ahmed and South Asian gold medal winning weightlifter Ziaur Islam will receive the award in “sportsman category.”
Table tennis player Muhtasin Ahmed and hockey player Amirul Islam will get “emerging athlete award” while grassroots hockey organizer Ustad Fazlu and Kalsindur Government School and College's principal Mala Rani Sarker will collect the “sports organizer” award.
Khandakar Nurullah will be conferred with the “sports journalist” award.
Bangladesh Archery Federation will be bestowed with the “sports association/federation/organization” award while Bangladesh Association of Banks will get the “sports sponsor” award.
Besides, the ministry, for the first time, included sports commentator category in the Sheikh Kamal NSC award.
Former national cricketer and renowned commentator Athar Ali Khan will be adorned with the “sports commentator” award.
Each of the awardees will receive Tk1 lakh, a crest and certificate.
The nominees for this award have been finalized after being scrutinized by the concerned committee in the light of specific criteria in recognition of outstanding contribution to sports.
The youth and sports ministry introduced the Sheikh Kamal NSC Award for the first time in 2021 on the occasion of Sheikh Kamal's 72nd birth anniversary.
The ministry officially started celebrating the birth anniversary of Shaheed Sheikh Kamal in 2020 and following the recommendation of the ministry, the Cabinet Division decided to celebrate Sheikh Kamal's birthday on August 5 as a “Ka” classified day nationally.
Youth and sports secretary Mohiuddin Ahmed, its additional secretary (sports) Nazrul Islam, NSC secretary Parimal Singh and officials of sports ministry and NSC were also present at the press conference.
