Sports best way to save youths from drugs: President

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said sports were an effective way to protect young people from drug and mobile phone addiction and frustration, stressing the need to expand sports facilities and ensure access to playgrounds.

“Sports teach young people discipline, perseverance and self-confidence,” he said while inaugurating the 18th Arafat Rahman Koko National Summer Athletics Competition 2026 at the National Stadium in Dhaka.

The President formally opened the competition by releasing balloons and festoons.

Describing athletics as the mother of sports, Mirza Fakhrul said it tested an athlete’s speed, strength, agility, discipline and endurance, providing a strong foundation for success in other sports.

He said sporting achievements brought national pride and unity. Seeing Bangladesh’s flag fly internationally and hearing the national anthem played on the victory podium gave the entire nation a sense of pride, he added.

The President stressed the need to develop homegrown athletes capable of achieving success internationally and ensure equal opportunities for female athletes.

He called for regular competitions at school, college, district and upazila levels so that talented athletes were not held back by financial constraints. 

He also urged businesses, banks, insurance companies and industrial enterprises to provide long-term sponsorship to develop world-class athletes.

Highlighting government initiatives, Mirza Fakhrul said plans were underway to introduce sports cards and allowances, launch grassroots talent-hunting programmes, establish modern sports villages at district level and build playgrounds in every union.

He also called on the authorities to recover illegally occupied playgrounds, preserve existing fields and identify sites for new ones.

The President expressed hope that the competition would produce talented athletes who would bring further glory to Bangladesh.

Dedicated to the memory of sports organiser Arafat Rahman Koko, the event featured a march-past by 57 participating teams. Veteran athletes Mohiuddin Ahmed and Sumita Rani Das lit the games’ torch.�"BSS