Khulna:Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday distributed offer letters for admission to the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) to 40 young athletes who participated in the 'Notun Kuri Sports' competition.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the letters were handed over during the inaugural ceremony of the second season of the competition held at Khulna District Stadium in the afternoon. The Prime Minister's Assistant Press Secretary, Abdullah Al Mahmud Shahriar, confirmed the details of the event.
The opening ceremony included vibrant cultural performances by young BKSP trainees, featuring regional and folk dances, songs, and physical exercises. Traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances were also part of the performances. The audience, consisting of children and adolescents seated in the stadium galleries, applauded the performances, with the Prime Minister joining in the applause from the stage.
A group of students from Yunnan Minzu University in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, performed the dragon and lion dances. This was part of a sports and cultural diplomacy initiative between Bangladesh and China, as explained by Shahriar. The BKSP and the Chinese university run a sports training exchange programme, where BKSP coaches provide cricket training to Chinese students, while Chinese coaches train BKSP students in wushu, a traditional Chinese martial art.
Additionally, BKSP athletes benefit from training by Chinese coaches in sports such as table tennis, athletics, badminton, swimming, and diving. Shahriar highlighted that the training exchange and cultural performances exemplified the strengthening sports and cultural cooperation between the two nations.