Gala opening of SA Games today

‘The preparation of the ensuing 11th South Asian Games has been completed’, said Kutubuddin Ahmed, Secretary General of Bangladesh Olympic Association on Thursday.
The inaugural ceremony of the upcoming 11th South Asian (SA) Games starts today at 4.00 PM at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be the chief guest on the occasion. Bangladesh Television will telecast the inaugural ceremony live from the big bowl.
Secretary General of Bangladesh Olympic Association Kutubuddin Ahmed disclosed all the matters related to the gala sports meet at Meet the Press programme held at the Dutch Bangla Bank Auditorium in BOA Bhaban on Thursday.
Deputy Chef de Mission of Bangladesh Contingent Badal Roy, Director General of Bangladesh Television Abu Zafar Siddiqui, Member Secretary of the Media Committee of the 11th SA Games Manzurul Haque, Member of the Media Committee Rana Hasan also spoke on the occasion.
Around 1800 athletes and some 800 officials from eight South Asian countries will take part in the ensuing 11th SA Games.
The 23 disciplines of the games’ are : Athletics, Archery, Basketball, Badminton, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Football, Golf, Hockey, Handball, Judo, Kabaddi, Karate, Swimming, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Volleyball, Wrestling, Weightlifting, and Wushu.
Former star footballer and President of Bangladesh Football Federation and President of South Asian Football Federation Kazi Salahuddin will carry the torch into the big bowl today and finally enkindle the torch.
Besides, Lutfun Nesa Haque Bakul of Bangladesh Women’s Sports Federation, freedom fighter Golam Mustafa Bir Bikram, Jinat Ahmed of Bangladesh Women’s Sports Federation, former prominent cricketer Rakibul Hasan, Shooter Atiqur Rahman, Shooter Kazi Shahana Parven, former national cricketer Akram Khan, Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Bazlur Rahman of Bangladesh Shooting Federation, national footballer Jewel Rana, former Boxer Subeder Md Mosharrof Hossain and athlete Mahabub Alam will also carry the torch.
The torch was handed over at the Meghna Ghat yesterday.
National Sports Award winner swimmer Wing Commodore Rafiqul Islam carried the torch, which was lit by Minister for Finance Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and then handed over to veteran sportsman Bashir Ahmed to carry the torch.
Bangladesh is going to host the gala sports event for the third time.
Earlier, Bangladesh successfully staged the Second SAF Games in the year of 1985 and then again hosted the sixth SAF Games in 1993 in a befitting manner.
Kutbuddin Ahmed said choreography, and colourful display will be shown by the local students, artistes and defence personnel.
He also added that skipper of national football team custodian Aminul Haque and famous athlete Nazmun Nahar Beauty would conduct the oath ceremony on behalf of the participating athletes.
The events of the games will be held across the country.
Kutubuddin Ahmed thanked all the sports journalists and the members of the media committee.
Around six to eight thousand tickets will be sold for the gala opening ceremony. The cost of the ticket is Tk fifty each.
Bangladesh Television and some non-government television channels will telecast the different events live.
The 12-day-long 11th South Asian Games will come to an end on February 9 through an outstanding concluding ceremony held at the BNS.

Courtesy of The New Nation