The upcoming 8th Bangladesh Games was hit by the opening ceremony controversy that forced the ceremonies committee chairman
Asaduzzaman Noor to step down from his post in order to avoid further chaos.
Asiatic Events, a company of which Noor is the deputy managing director, has secured the rights of hosting the opening ceremony without any tender, which stoked a serious controversy.
The ceremonies committee, headed by Noor, issued the work order to his company, without inviting any tender denying the other interested companies a chance to manage the show with an estimated budget of Tk 11 crore.
Major General Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardi, who was previously the co-chairman of the committee, has now replaced Noor as the chairman of ceremonies committee for the Games.
Harunur Rashid, chairman of the Games steering committee, which is mainly responsible for organising the Games, was unable to clear the air regarding the accusation of corruption at his press briefing at the BOA building on Tuesday.
‘I think all the procedures were maintained but I cannot say whether there were any other parties to have submitted their bids for the opening ceremony,’ Harun told reporters.
‘I think it can be cleared by Major General Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardi as he was involved in the total procedure,’ said Harun. Maj Gen Sarwardi was not immediately available for comments.
Harun said that they have added seven new venues for the Games, taking the number of total venues to 28 for the Games, scheduled to be held from April 20 to 28.
The BOA decided to take the Games to every corner of the country with renowned athletes and organisers lighting the torch simultaneously in 64 districts.
On April 19, the famed athletes of the country will light the torch at the National Martyrs Memorial at Savar and it will be brought to Dhaka with a motor rally the same afternoon.
The organising committee of the Games, headed by finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, met the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Thursday to inform her about the preparations.
Haurn told reporters that the prime minister had provided them with necessary feedback and asked them to focus on promoting the event. The prime minister also instructed them to show the opening ceremony on giant screens in all 64 districts.
At the press briefing it was also informed that some members of the organising committee are expected to meet the leaders of the opposition today to formally request them not to declare any strikes during the meet.
-With New Age input
