National Sports Council (NSC) of Bangladesh has distributed funds for training and competition to 59 sports federations/associations for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The total allocation amounts to TK 17 crore 59 lakh 39 thousand, representing a mere 0.278% increase over the previous year.
While some federations received significant boosts, others remain financially constrained. The Bangladesh Archery Federation, for instance, secured TK 1 crore 2 lakh, with TK 72 lakh dedicated to training and TK 30 lakh for competition. This allocation is justified considering archery's recent success in securing Olympic berths and achieving international recognition.
However, discrepancies in funding distribution have sparked criticism. The Bangladesh Roller Skating Federation (BSRF) received TK 96 lakh, surpassing the allocations for more established disciplines like athletics, swimming, chess, shooting, and hockey by TK 20-30 lakh.
The Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) received only TK 12 lakh for training, raising concerns amongst officials. In contrast, the allocation for bridge, a less popular sport, stands at TK 17 lakh for training. BHF General Secretary Mominul Haque Saeed highlighted this disparity during a recent NSC executive meeting.
Athletics and swimming federations expressed concerns about insufficient funding. Advocate Abdur Raqib Montu, General Secretary of the Athletics Federation, emphasized the need for increased allocations in these "important and potential games." He pointed out Bangladesh's recent Asian gold medal in indoor athletics, highlighting the need for proper training facilities to achieve further
success.
MB Saif, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Swimming Federation, echoed similar concerns. Maintaining a swimming pool incurs significant operational costs, exceeding half the allocated training budget. Despite financial limitations, the federation remains committed to training high-performance swimmers.
The NSC's funding allocation strategy appears to favour certain sports over others. While recognizing the achievements of archery, a more balanced approach is necessary to ensure the growth and development of all sports disciplines in Bangladesh. Addressing the concerns of federations like athletics, swimming, and hockey are crucial to nurture talent and achieve broader sporting success.
