Didar, Marma Singh Tripura joint champions
Didarul Alam Didar had to share the title of this year's 'Jabbarer Boli Khela', a traditional wrestling competition, with Marma Singh Tripura at the historical Laldighi Maidan in the port city yesterday, as the latter's defensive attitude proved decisive.
This is the fourth time Didar and Marma have become joint champions.
The 28-minute-long final bout failed to produce any result, prompting the organisers to give another 15 minutes.
Didar attempted at least four times to overpower Marma on the sandy wrestling ground, but to no avail as Marma held firm.
A total of 80 bolies (wrestlers) took part in the first round while four featured in the challenge bouts of the competition organised by Abdul Jabbar Smrity Kusti Protijogita O Baishakhi Mela Committee 1415.
Didar and Marma then moved to the final round defeating Manjur Alam and Mohammad Hanif in the challenge bout respectively.
Overall, this is the fifth time Didar, a meson from Omkhali under Ramu upazila in Cox's Bazar, clinched the champion's title. His other title came at the expense of Siddiq Boli of Ukhiya in Cox's Bazar.
Hailing from Khagrachhari, Marma, a sub-inspector (SI) of Tejgaon Police Station in the city, have also won the title for five times, including the four he shares with Didar.
However, Didar told newsmen that Marma was totally defensive. “That's why I got little chance to beat him as he did not attack me even for a single time,” said a disappointed Didar.
“I take physical exercise regularly and play different games like football and cricket to keep my body fit,” he said.
Grameenphone, sponsoring the competition for the second time, awarded the champions Tk 5000 each.
The 40 winners of the first round got Tk 500 each.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner Mohammad Akbar Ali was the chief guest at yesterday's competition with Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) local Ward Commissioner Jawhar Lal Hazari in the chair.
CCC Acting Mayor M Manjur Alam inaugurated the event while Grameenphone Chittagong Region Head of Direct Sales Shahin Chowdhury and Marketing-in-Charge Sharier Mohammad Shahabuddin were also present.
On the occasion of the Jabbarer Boli Khela, a three-day 'Baishakhi Mela' also began on Thursday in and around the Laldighi Maidan area where vendors from different parts of the country took part with a great variety of household items, handicrafts, toys, showpieces and a wide collection of traditional sweetmeats and seasonal fruits.
Abdul Jabbar Sawdagar, a prominent local merchant of the city's Badarpati area, introduced this competition as a traditional event back in 1909 with an aim to organise and inspire the youths for anti-British movement.
Since then, the wrestling competition, the main component of the occasion, is being held on the 12th Baishakh, the first month of the Bangla year, every year.
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