State Minister for Youth and Sports Ahad Ali Sarker urged the athletes to put their best to bring laurels to the country in the upcoming 16th Asian Games to be held in Guangzhou in China from November 12 to 27.
The sports minister made the request at the introducing ceremony with the players, coaches and officials ahead of the departure of Bangladesh's 235-member contingent at the Kurmitola Golf Club yesterday. The Bangladesh contingent will start leaving the country from November 1.
With 476 golds in 42 disciplines up for grabs, Bangladesh will take part in 16 disciplines athletics, weightlifting, karate, taekwondo, boxing, kabaddi, archery, swimming, shooting, cricket, football, hockey, golf, wushu, chess and billiards.
Ahad promised to launch a talent-hunt programme in every discipline from next year and then promised to provide proper training for those talented athletes.
Bangladesh Olympic Association president and Army chief General Abdul Mubeen, secretary general Kutubuddin Ahmed, Jahid Hasan Rasel, the chairman of standing committee on Youth and Sports, Sports secretary Mahbub Ahmed and deputy chef de mission of the contingent Abdul Awal Majnu were among others present.