Dhaka: The Bangladesh Swimming Federation (BSF) is set to relaunch its program titled ‘Bangladesh in Search of Best Swimmers’. The initiative, which was last conducted in 2018, aims to discover and nurture talented and underprivileged swimmers from remote regions of the country through extensive training.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the program’s details were unveiled at a press conference held at the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) auditorium. The selection process will be comprehensive, involving swimmers from 64 districts across eight divisions, and will commence at the Mirpur Swimming Complex on May 10. Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain is expected to inaugurate the event as the chief guest.
The selection will occur in three stages, initially identifying 600 swimmers nationwide. This number will be narrowed down to 100 in Dhaka during the second stage, and finally, 50 swimmers will be chosen for long-term training. Participants will be divided into two groups based on age, with Group ‘A’ for ages 9-11 and Group ‘B’ for ages 12-15, competing in freestyle and other events of their choice.
In the initial phase, swimmers will be selected from each upazila, progressing to district-level selections. The final 50 swimmers will undergo extensive training for two years. Notable figures, including SA Games gold-winning swimmers Shahjahan Ali Rony, Mahfuza Khatun Shila, and Jewel Ahmed, along with federation coaches, will be involved in the selection process.
Federation General Secretary Mahbubur Rahman Shaheen expressed optimism about the program’s success. He emphasized the support from Prime Bank, the Bangladesh Navy, and the federation’s president in advancing the Talent Hunt program, aiming to address the current challenges in swimming.
The program’s budget is estimated at Taka six crore, with Prime Bank PLC already contributing Taka 50 lakh. Shaheen anticipates further support from the sponsor. Present at the press conference were Syed Raihan Tarek, head of brand and communication at Prime Bank, federation joint secretary Nibedita Das, and treasurer Major (retd) Mohammad Atiqur Rahman.