ZCZC
BSP-07
SPORTS-EVENT-RETURN
No chance of sport events returning to field at the moment
DHAKA, June 1, 2020 (BSS) – As all we know the people of Bangladesh are sports crazy. Usually the stadiums turned into human waves whenever any kind of sport events are arranged especially cricket, football and hockey, but everything has now changed over the last two months as like the other places in globe too.
Sports in Bangladesh have suffered too due to dreaded coronavirus pandemic. As a result the country’s sports remained stand still and the sports lovers are being deprived of pure entertainment.
Though the countrywide shutdown has lasted more than two months due to spread of coronavirus, finally on Sunday last and most of the sports federations reopened partially and following the government guideline maintaining heath rules.
But as the deadly coronavirus patients is continuing to rise in the country, it seems that sporting event in Bangladesh will have to wait a little longer in order to return in the field.
However most of the sports federations have no any plan to organize any sporting event right now. The federations have remained stuck to their stance of observe the situation first and then taking a decision.
Talking to BSS, Bangladesh Hockey Federation acting general secretary Mohammad Yousuf said “The present situation for arranging any local competition is not suitable due to coronavirus pandemic… the situation is terrible….it is not possible to arrange any local competition right now ….. Nothing can be said until we get any green signal from youth and sports ministry.”
“We’ll reopen our federation from Thursday (June 4) in a small scale….. We had a plan earlier to organised the premier hockey league before the lock down…. we had sent letter to the clubs as well in this regards …… now we’ll communicate with the clubs …. but nothing can be said right now about hosting the league until we get any green signal from ministry,” he added.
The stadiums, which once upon a time was full of noise, now there is a pin drop silence, it seems that nothing has happened for a long time. The stadiums -Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS), Hockey Handball, Skating all bear empty look with no soul seen around.
Generally the BNS used to remain busy round the clock throughout the year with football and other various sporting competitions. The stadium used to remain busy with the matches of Bangladesh Premier League Football (BPL), but sadly due to coronavirus concern, the BFF finally had abandoned the idea of hosting the league.
As there are no sporting events for a long time, the grass of the stadium has grown big as it seems like other grass field.
But, in the recent time the crowd have coming back to stadium after the government relaxed the lock down from Sunday last.
However, a shopkeeper of the stadium informed BSS that: “Now a days we have been passing very hard time due to the absent of buyers … we usually do to brisk business when the stadium were busy with sporting activities, but now a handful of people usually come here.”
The condition of Moulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium adjoining the BNS is also the same. While the scenario of IV Rahman Swimming pool is worse, as there was an algae stuck at the wall of the pool which was not been used over the last two months.
Besides, Captain Mansur Ali Handball Stadium and other spots of sports in the area are also lying with no action.
Cricket, number one sports event of the country, as our cricketers has won the heart of the people by showing some stunning performance. But now a days , the country’s cricket fans are being deprived to see the live action of their heroes — Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim — due to coronavirus pandemic.
One hopes if the situation improves and becomes normal, the Sher-e Bangla National Cricket Stadium hopefully would be filled with the spectators.
Mustaq Ahmed, an avid cricket fan, said he never used to miss any match of Tigers’ and manage ticket by either way to go to stadium to enjoy match, but now it’s not possible to go to the stadium in this condition because of this troublesome situation and also there is no action going on there.
Mustaq said it seems to him the national cricketers are too feeling the same like him and hopes the situation becomes normal soon.
But, the reality is that there is no good news for sports lovers in Bangladesh as there is no hope of returning sporting events in the near future.
BSS/SG/SMM/1825 hrs