‘Notun Kuri Sports’ Set to Start April 30

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has inaugurated a new salary structure and sports cards for national athletes, marking a historic step to establish sports as a respected profession rather than just a hobby or pastime.

The Prime Minister made the announcement at a ceremony held on Monday (30 March) morning at Shapla Hall in the Prime Minister’s Office. At the same event, 129 athletes who have won medals at international competitions were awarded a total of Tk 2.44 crore in special honours and cash prizes.

In his speech, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said: “With the pledge ‘We will work, we will build the nation — Bangladesh first’, we want to completely transform the sports sector.”

Recalling the visionary sports philosophy of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, he noted that the foundation of modern sports infrastructure was laid by him. The current government is modernising that vision by implementing a master plan to establish international-standard “Sports Villages” in every district and playgrounds in every union.

The Prime Minister announced that the “New Kuri Sports” programme, aimed at scouting talent at the grassroots level, will begin across the country from 30 April, starting from Sylhet.

He also revealed plans to make sports mandatory in the national curriculum from Class 4 starting from 2027, so that children can develop interest and skills in sports alongside academics from an early age.

The State Minister for Youth and Sports highlighted progress in implementing the government’s election manifesto and said the “Sports Card” will serve as a strong safeguard for the social and financial security of athletes.

On the occasion, gold, silver, and bronze medallists received cash prizes. Individual gold medallists received Tk 3 lakh, silver medallists Tk 2 lakh, and bronze medallists Tk 1 lakh. Team medallists received Tk 2 lakh, Tk 1.5 lakh, and Tk 1 lakh respectively. As part of the sports allowance, each athlete will receive Tk 1 lakh per month. Athletes with special needs have also been included under this honour.

The Prime Minister described young athletes as “the golden messengers of a new Bangladesh” and expressed hope that through modern training, government financial security, and the development of a full-fledged sports industry, Bangladesh will achieve new heights of success in the Olympics, Asian Games, and SAFF Games in the near future.

Senior government officials, leaders of various sports federations, and renowned national athletes attended the event.