NSC reshuffles 27 sports federations, sets three-month deadline for elections

 
The National Sports Council (NSC) on Saturday dissolved the existing ad hoc committees of 27 national sports federations and associations, replacing them with new interim bodies and directing them to hold elections within three months before handing over charge to democratically elected executives.

The newly constituted committees cover Archery, Wushu, Athletics, Boxing, Wrestling, Kabaddi, Karate, Carrom, Kho Kho, Gymnastics, Judo, Tennis, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Chess, Fencing, Badminton, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Bangladesh Women's Sports Association, Rugby, Rowing, Shooting, Cycling, Swimming, Hockey and Handball.

Among the key appointments, Bangladesh Archery founder Kazi Rajib Uddin Ahmed Chapal has been named president of the Bangladesh Archery Federation, while businessman and former SA Games medallist archer Syed Tanvir Raihan takes over as general secretary. Former general secretary Ali Imam Tapan returns to the same post in the Bangladesh Athletics Federation, while Syed Aminul Haque Dewan Sajal has been appointed general secretary of the Bangladesh Swimming Federation.

Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Israil Howlader has been made general secretary of the Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation, while Labaid Group Managing Director Saqif Shamim assumes the same role at the Bangladesh Shooting Sport Federation. Former shooter Sharmin Akter Ratna has been entrusted with dual responsibilities as general secretary of the Bangladesh Women's Sports Association and joint secretary of the Shooting Federation. South Asia's first Grandmaster Niaz Murshed has been named general secretary of the Bangladesh Chess Federation.

Elsewhere, Saiful Islam Bhuiyan has been appointed president of the Bangladesh Wushu Federation, with Dildar Hasan Dilu retained as general secretary. Ishtiaq Sadeq, son of late hockey legend and former federation general secretary Abdus Sadeq, has been appointed general secretary of the Bangladesh Hockey Federation, while former national player Abdul Mumin Saddam takes charge as general secretary of the Bangladesh Volleyball Federation. 

Former athletes SM Kajal (Weightlifting), Hasibur Rahman Shakil (Badminton), Saidul Haque Sadi (Table Tennis), Parvez Hasan (Cycling), Nayana Chowdhury (Judo) and Mahmudul Islam Rana (Taekwondo) have also been entrusted with key roles. Barrister Sarwat Siraj Shukla, Salauddin Ahmed, Habibur Rahman and MA Quddus Khan have retained their respective positions in the Bangladesh Women's Sports Association, Handball, Gymnastics and Boxing federations.

The overhaul follows recommendations of the committee formed to identify longstanding problems in the country's sporting landscape and formulate a development roadmap, which urged elections across all federations, district and divisional sports bodies within three months. Yet the directive comes with a familiar caveat: previous ad hoc committees, despite similar deadlines, often overstayed their mandates, leaving the ball in the new committees' court to prove this latest pledge translates into genuine democratic governance.