Nat’l Badminton Championship
Railway a force again
Bangladesh Railway are gradually increasing their involvement in sports as they roped in top shuttlers for the 32nd National Badminton Championship which started at
the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium yesterday.
Railway used to have mentionable presence in different sports such as football, cricket, hockey, cycling, volleyball and badminton in past, but had phased out their
sports teams from most of those arenas in the last two decades. However, they are now looking to re-organising their sports wing and increasing involvement in sports.
“If we can do well in the national badminton championships, we will allocate a big budget for next championships. Even the budget this time has been raised from the
initially proposed one due to the inclusion of top shuttlers,” said Sardar Shahadat Ali, Bangladesh Railway’s divisional manager and secretary of Bangladesh Railway
Sports Control Board yesterday.
“Despite having lack of organisers in Railway, we returned to hockey last season after a gap of 10 years and took part in the athletics championships for the first
time. We participated in the Junior Badminton Championships last season as well after a long gap,” said Ali.
“However we have been participating in the National Badminton Championship for last five years with a squad which comprise youngsters and this year we have decided to
form a better squad and we did it with the inclusion of some top players. I believe our involvement in sports will increase in future,” said Ali.
Railway signed up six-time national champion Ahsan Habib Parash, Mohammad Rois Uddin, 2010 national champion, Saifuddin and three more promising junior players, who
all played for Biman Bangladesh last season. Railway are hoping to win the men’s singles and doubles titles.
Some 262 shutters including 32 women from six divisions, 54 districts, three educational boards and Bangladesh Railway are participating in the five-day meet.
-With The Daily Star input
