Bangabandhu Bangladesh Games deferred

Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) today announced the postponement of the ninth edition of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Games due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

The announcement was made at BOA auditorium this afternoon after the BOA President and Army chief General Aziz Ahmed and the Secretary General Syed Shahed Reza met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The games had been organised to mark the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.  

"The other programmes related to the celebration of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu, have been deferred due to coronavirus. Bangladesh Games was also part of this celebration, so we have decided to defer Bangladesh Games. We will let you know the new dates later," said BOA Vice President and steering committee Chairman Bashir Ahmed at a hurriedly-arranged press conference today.

"PM didn't directly give any instructions to postpone the Games but she told BOA officials to take care of the health of the athletes and asked if the Games will be postponed," Bashir said. "The athletes are also worried over the coronavirus."

The Games were set to take place from April 1 to 10.