Govt unveils plan for ‘sports villages’ in all 64 districts

The government has announced plans to establish “sports villages” in all 64 districts as part of a broader strategy to strengthen Bangladesh’s sporting infrastructure and secure the country a recognised position in global sports by 2030.

Presenting the national budget for FY2026-27 in parliament today, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said preliminary designs for sports villages have already been prepared in 10 districts.

The minister said the government has increased allowances for athletes in an effort to promote sports as a viable profession. Currently, 300 athletes receive sports allowances.

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He also said initiatives have been taken to strengthen “sports diplomacy” to enhance international cooperation. Regular competitions and tournaments will be organised at different levels to ensure that every student has the opportunity to participate in at least one sport.

According to the budget speech, the government aims to develop sports not only as a source of entertainment but also as an economic sector capable of generating income, employment and investment through sporting events, media, merchandise, tourism and related services.

The minister said the “Notun Kuri Sports” programme (a youth sports talent development initiative) has already been launched in line with the vision of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Under the programme, scholarships will be provided to talented athletes aged between 12 years and 14 years.

The initiative covers eight disciplines -- football, cricket, kabaddi, athletics, badminton, chess, swimming, and martial arts.

So far, 168,622 participants have registered under the programme, including 121,492 boys and 47,130 girls.

The government has proposed an allocation of Tk 200 crore for the programme in the new budget.