Khulna:Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to inaugurate the second edition of the 'Notun Kuri Sports' programme this Thursday, with events taking place simultaneously in 503 upazilas across the country, starting from the Khulna District Stadium.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque announced at a press conference that 16,23,218 participants have registered online for the event, a significant increase from the 1,68,000 participants in the inaugural edition. The programme will see teams formed in 4,599 unions nationwide, engaging around 14 lakh young athletes.
The registration data reveals that 9,44,083 boys, comprising 58.2 percent of the total, and 6,79,135 girls, accounting for 41.8 percent, have registered for the second edition. Football has garnered the highest interest, with 9,18,620 participants, representing about 36 percent of total registrations, followed by athletics with 3,99,218 registrations.
Other sports disciplines in the programme include cricket (3,29,912), badminton (2,55,523), kabaddi (1,90,947), chess (1,71,229), swimming (1,59,291), volleyball (74,829), martial arts (31,951), and table tennis (24,807). Notably, table tennis recorded the highest female participation rate at 60.3 percent, while cricket had the lowest at 21.9 percent.
The Chattogram division reported the highest registration numbers, with 2,36,412 boys and girls signing up, and the district of Chattogram itself leading with 1,81,132 registrations. Minister Haque highlighted the programme's role in encouraging families to support their daughters in sports, aiming to nurture young female athletes who can contribute to Bangladesh's progress.
The main goal of Notun Kuri Sports is to discover talented athletes from grassroots levels across the country. Forty participants from the inaugural edition have been selected for advanced training at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP), supported by government-funded education and training.
Minister Haque expressed optimism that the 'Notun Kuri' initiative would transform the sports landscape and promote social change through sports, ultimately fostering a healthy nation and a drug-free society. The second edition has introduced table tennis and volleyball, expanding from the previous lineup of football, cricket, kabaddi, swimming, athletics, chess, badminton, and martial arts.