Sports help reduce drug use and excessive mobile phone habits: PM

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said by making students participate in sports through practical classes and assessments, it would help curb social problems such as drug addiction and excessive mobile phone use.

In a message on the eve of “Primary School Gold Cup Football Tournament (Boys and Girls) 2026”, the PM emphasised that investment in children’s education and health is the most important investment in nation-building.

Tarique said sports, culture and creative activities are essential alongside academic education for building a confident, skilled and humane generation.

He described the football tournament as a positive initiative for development of students.

He said the government is working to modernise the education sector under the “Sobar Agey Bangladesh” election manifesto, including efforts to integrate sports such as football, cricket, chess, karate and swimming into the curriculum from class 4 to higher secondary level.

He added that under the policy guidelines, all 65,569 government primary schools are included in the tournament, involving nearly one crore students.

He wished the tournament success and expressed hope that participants would become future sporting talents representing Bangladesh internationally.