Talent Hunt Key to Discovering Future Athletes: Sports Adviser

Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan said talent hunt is the only way in which athletes can be found in the future. "Talent hunt is the only way through which we'll find our future athletes who will represent Bangladesh in the world and will bring honour for the country," he said during the closing and certificate distribution ceremony of the U-16 talent hunt programme held at National Sports Council (NSC) auditorium today (Wednesday). The adviser said that the Ministry of Youth and Sports is working relentlessly on how to expand these types of programmes and ensure more participation of athletes. In this regard, Asif Mahmud has talked to the BCB president about the talented cricket players who have come out of this talent hunt programme. The talented cricketers would be sent to the BCB and would be given the charge to BCB of how to nurse them further and make them a good cricketer, he said.

The sports adviser said those who have been selected from the other disciplines in the talent hunt programme, coordinate would be done in each federation in this regards so that the selected athletes can be prepared for the future through training and nursing under the federations. Those who have been selected would be reevaluated every six months to assess how their progress has been done. He said based on a performance, scholarships would be ensured through Krirashebi Kalyan Foundation for the selected athletes who are financially insolvent. "We don't want any talent to be lost due to financial problem or lack of ecosystem of sports in Bangladesh. We want to take a talent to their highest level. If you look at the countries of the World that have done well in sports, everyone has an ecosystem. Any talent or genetically advantaged athlete has been given proper nursing to make them prepare in sports. In this case, we see China is doing well in the Olympic. If we look at the story behind the success of China, we also have a lot to learn from them," he remarked. Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan said despite being a third world country and limited resources the sports sector was neglected due to lack of proper planning and nursing. Efforts would be made to build an eco system alongside the proper infrastructure for the talented athlete so that they can have a good environment to prepare themselves.

After the programme, he distributed crests and certificates among the athletes of judo disciplines. Youth and Sports Secretary Md Mahbub-ul-Alam said it is only the beginning of the athletes. Their enthusiasm and interest really overwhelmed us. He also advised the budding athletes not to keep their talent within the confines of their own country but also flourish the talent at the international stage. NSC secretary Aminul Islam said the talent hunt programme, organised by NSC, will be continued and it is our responsibility to follow up the programme later. He also thanked all concerned for making the talent hunt programme a success one. Fatema Tuj Johora, a young talented athlete of Basketball discipline, in her reaction, said: "I feel very proud to become a part of the U-16 talent hunt programme ... We not only learnt the right technique of sports but also learnt discipline, labor and team work under the supervision of experienced coaches... I would like to thank them... I believe that this camp and the hard work gives us a base for the future." 

She said that if such camps were held for longer, the athletes could develop their possibilities further. She also thanked the NSC for this noble initiative. Chess trainer of the talent hunt programme Abu Sufian Safi said, "We have found several talented players through this programme. I and my other colleagues firmly believe that the talented players, brought out from the talent hunt programme, will shine the name of the country at the national and international level." He said to materialize the dream of athletes, regular training and participation in the tournament is needed.  The NSC organised a 10-day U-16 talent hunt programme from the grassroots level with 10 disciplines at different venues in the capital. The disciplines are Handball, Cricket, Kabaddi, Basketball, Chess, Judo, Weightlifting, Volleyball, Gymnastics and Cycling.