Govt to Identify Grassroots Sports Talent: Mir Helal

State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin -File photo

State Minister for Land and Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin on Monday said the government is committed to identifying talented athletes at the grassroots level and creating opportunities for them to develop careers in sports and compete internationally.

"Our objective is to identify talent from marginalised communities and provide opportunities for their development," he said while addressing a press conference at the July Smrity Hall of Chattogram Press Club ahead of the Prime Minister's Gold Cup Tournament.

The state minister said Bangladesh's sports sector would become stronger if talented athletes could be identified from the union and upazila levels through a structured talent-development system.

He said sports can play an important role in protecting young people from drug abuse and other social problems, adding that many countries offer scholarships to students based on their sporting achievements.

Mir Helal stressed the need to create more opportunities for talented Bangladeshi athletes to compete internationally and develop their skills.

Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain, MPs Ershad Ullah and Abu Sufian, Education Secretary Abdul Khalek, and other distinguished guests attended the press conference.