Dhaka: State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam today announced that the Prime Minister's Gold Cup Football Tournament is poised to ignite a fresh wave of football enthusiasm across every upazila and village in the country. The initiative aims to inspire the younger generation to engage more actively in sports and foster positive social change nationwide.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the State Minister shared these insights during a meeting of the steering committee on the Prime Minister's Gold Cup Football Tournament at the Ministry of Education's conference room. Alam emphasized that the tournament's ripple effect is set to spread nationwide, fueled by strategic meetings with upazila chairmen and field-level officials to formulate an initial plan.
Alam highlighted that matches would be conducted simultaneously on at least four or five grounds in each upazila to adhere to the competition's schedule. Each ground will have a dedicated venue committee, led by a first-class officer, ensuring seamless management and conduct of the matches.
The State Minister also outlined decisions implemented in his own upazila, which could serve as a model for others. The upazila parishad is set to provide essential resources such as footballs and jerseys, along with a financial plan to support institutions participating in the knockout stage with Taka 3,000 for travel and other expenses.
Alam further noted that while accommodation will not be provided during the initial phase, teams advancing to the Super Eight stage will receive accommodation support. He emphasized the need for institutions hosting matches to receive allocations for refreshments, ground management, hospitality for officials, and ensuring the tournament's smooth conduct.
Moreover, Alam urged the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief to allocate resources for the renovation of playing fields across every upazila. By enhancing the quality of grounds, the initiative aims to encourage children and adolescents to participate more actively in sports.
In conclusion, Alam expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Education for spearheading the Prime Minister's Gold Cup Football Tournament. He emphasized that the initiative, aligned with the Prime Minister's directives, will stand as a significant milestone in the country's sports arena.