Rajshahi: Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner Dr. A.N.M. Bazlur Rashid announced that the ongoing Primary School Gold Cup Football Tournament is expected to be a launchpad for talented footballers aspiring to reach the national level. "Football is the game of people's hearts and the most popular sport in the country. Good players for the national level will emerge from tournaments organized at the primary stage," he stated during the inauguration of the tournament's divisional round at the Rajshahi Divisional Women's Sports Complex.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the three-day divisional tournament features 16 boys' and girls' teams from eight districts within the Rajshahi division. These teams are divided into two groups, showcasing talent that has been nurtured and selected through rigorous competition at the union, upazila, and district levels.
Dr. Rashid commended the efforts of teachers and education officials for their dedication in preparing the teams for this prestigious event. "Today we will witness the best teams competing against each other. It should be treated purely as a game. It is not a clash or rivalry; the game is about skill," he emphasized, urging participants to focus on the spirit of the game.
He also expressed confidence that the tournament would reveal numerous promising boy and girl footballers, with hopes that the Rajshahi division would eventually triumph at the national level. The event was chaired by Additional Divisional Commissioner Md. Rezaul Alam Sarkar and attended by various dignitaries including District Council Administrator Advocate Ershad Ali Isha, Additional Police Commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Al Mamun, Additional Superintendent of Police Helena Akhter, and Divisional Deputy Director of Primary Education Nur Akhter Jannatul Ferdous. Education officials, teachers, students, and media personnel were also present to witness the opening of the tournament.