Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said her government has been making efforts to create smart athletes to ensure Bangladesh's participation in any international sports competition.
"We have built digital Bangladesh. Our next target is to transform the country into a Smart Bangladesh which will help generate smart players and thus we will achieve the quality of taking part in any international sports," she said.
She said this while formally inaugurating the final phase of Sheikh Kamal Second Bangladesh Youth Games 2023 at the Bangladesh Army Stadium in Dhaka this evening.
"I believe the youth games will add a new dimension to the sports arena and work as a platform to generate star players," she said.
The prime minister said her government has been working to ensure the country's socio-economic advancement alongside boosting the excellence of the sports arena.
She said youths will get a chance to flourish their talents in various sports by taking part in the youth games. It would inspire the fresher and children to get involved in sports, she added.
Describing the athletes as the soldiers towards building Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous one by 2041, the prime minister wished them every success in the youth games.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Zahid Ahsan Russel, Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) President and Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed and Secretary General Syed Shahed Reza spoke at the function.
A video documentary on Sheikh Kamal Second Bangladesh Youth Games 2023 was screened at the function. At the outset of the programme, the national anthem was also played.
Later, the prime minister witnessed a colourful cultural programme marking the grand opening of the youth games.
The BOA has been organising Bangladesh Games and Youth Games every four years since 2018. The motto of the games was to select future players for national teams in various disciplines and to groom the latent talents of young athletes.
Nearly 4,000 athletes will compete for 193 gold, 193 silver and 287 bronze medals in 193 events of 24 disciplines in the final phase of the second edition of the youth games named after Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Earlier, the inter-upazila first phase of the games was held from January 2-10, and the inter-district second phase was held from January 16-22. Eight divisions are participating in the final phase in Dhaka.
Meanwhile, both men's and women's football competitions of the Sheikh Kamal Second Bangladesh Youth Games 2023 were held on the opening day of the event at separate venues in the capital.
