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Football, shooting could unlock Bangladesh’s next sports economy
Bangladesh’s sports economy needs a broader vision beyond cricket, with football positioned as the next major commercial opportunity and shooting identified as the country’s best chance for an Olympic medal, according to Sakif Shamim, Chairman of the Center for Strategic and Economic Research and Managing Director of Labaid Hospital Group.
In an article titled “Commercializing Football, Shooting, and Beyond: The New Horizon of Bangladesh’s Sports Economy,” Shamim said cricket has already established itself as a successful sports industry through broadcasting rights, corporate sponsorships, advertisements, athlete branding and digital content.
He argued that Bangladesh should adopt a comprehensive sports strategy where cricket remains the country’s commercial powerhouse, football becomes the driver of future sports business growth, and shooting receives focused investment to achieve Olympic success.
Highlighting football’s huge fan base in Bangladesh, Shamim said the popularity of global tournaments and European club football proves that a strong market already exists. However, he noted that the country lacks a structured framework to convert this passion into a sustainable sports economy.
He suggested transforming football clubs into strong local brands with dedicated fan communities, merchandise, digital platforms, membership models and community programmes. He also emphasized modernizing stadiums into year-round commercial hubs and investing in OTT platforms, digital content, sports science and technology.
Shamim stressed that grassroots development should be a priority, with structured school, college and university leagues, district academies and talent scouting programmes needed to build a sustainable football pipeline.
Turning to Olympic sports, he said Bangladesh must move away from popularity-based investment decisions and focus on disciplines with realistic medal potential. According to him, shooting offers the strongest possibility for Bangladesh to win its first Olympic medal due to its dependence on precision, psychological strength and quality training rather than physical attributes.
He called for a national shooting academy, international exposure programmes, corporate scholarships and modern equipment to develop world-class shooters.
Shamim also said sports investment should be viewed as an economic opportunity rather than an expense, as a developed sports industry can create jobs in coaching, sports science, content creation, event management, digital marketing and broadcasting.
He urged Bangladesh’s corporate sector to expand its sports partnerships beyond branding opportunities and invest in academies, youth development, research and athlete welfare programmes.
“Cricket will continue to lead as our primary commercial giant, football can drive the next sports economy, and shooting can become a national mission for Olympic glory,” Shamim said, outlining his vision for Bangladesh’s future in sports.
Sakif Shamim
Managing Director, Labaid Hospital Group
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; 01550707296 Advertisement: 41053012; 01550707291
E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]
