Second season Notun Kuri to create career opportunities for youths: Whip Bakul

KHULNA, Nov 4: Whip of the Jatiya Sangsad Rakibul Islam Bakul, MP, on Wednesday said the launch of the second season of Notun Kuri Sports would create opportunities for young people to pursue sports as a profession.

He made the remarks at a press briefing held in the conference room of the Khulna Deputy Commissioner (DC)’s office on Wednesday afternoon, marking the inauguration of the second season of the programme.

Bakul said people in Khulna are enthusiastic about Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s first visit to the city to inaugurate Notun Kuri Sports. He said the prime minister had taken initiatives to reopen closed mills, create employment opportunities, promote industrialisation and develop the gas and power sectors in the Khulna region.

Bakul also underscored the importance of developing Mongla Port to accelerate Khulna’s economic growth and stressed the need to restore the city’s former reputation as a sports hub.

Youth and Sports Ministry Secretary Md Mahfuzul Alam Khan said about 16.23 lakh online registrations had been completed for the second season, compared with 1.68 lakh in the first season. The programme will feature 10 sporting disciplines, he added.

He said the government planned to establish playgrounds in every union, with initiatives underway to implement the programme in 1,000 unions this year.

He also hoped that work on Khulna Divisional Stadium would begin in the current fiscal year. Plans were also underway to construct galleries in the remaining section of Khulna District Stadium.

Khulna Divisional Commissioner Mohammad Abdullah Harun, Deputy Commissioner Hoore Jannat, Khulna Development Authority Chairman S M Shafiqul Alam Mona, Khulna City BNP General Secretary Shafiqul Alam Tuhin and other officials, political leaders and journalists attended the briefing.

Earlier, a colourful rally organised by the district administration paraded through various city streets, starting from and ending on the Khulna Collectorate premises.