‘We want to create professional athletes’
Md Monzur Morshed, a well-known face in the sports arena of Bangladesh. He is mainly involved in sports as an organiser. Monjur served as the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Athletics Federation. Recently, he talked about sports in Bangladesh and his future plans of athletics of Bangladesh.
‘I could run very well. I participated in the 100-meter sprint in the national athletics competitions from Lakshmipur at the district and divisional levels. I also played cricket and badminton. I spent my childhood and youth involved in sports,’ Monzur said.
He said, “I served as the President of Lakshmipur District Football Association. While fulfilling that responsibility, I got the councillorship of Bangladesh Football Federation.
In 2008, I was elected to BFF. I was also a member of Bangladesh Athletics Federation. From a member, I became the Joint-Secretary of Bangladesh Athletics Federation. I also had to serve as the Acting General Secretary in 2011. At that time, our president was Ali Kabir.”
“We tried to work for the development of athletics. At that time, athletes were brought under the ‘salary’ scheme. We created salary criteria based on the results at the national level. We tried to find new athletes through ‘talent hunt’. I was involved with the Athletics Federation for about a year and a half. At that time, the federation was very active.”
Why would you become a professional athlete, if you don’t get a guaranteed? Monzur said, “We have a dream. We want to create professional athletes for the country.
In Bangladesh, the environment for taking athletics as a ‘profession’ has not yet been created. If you are not a professional and don’t get the assurance of a livelihood security, you can’t compete with the developed world, let alone get close, with amateur and amateur level athletics.”
“I basically want to work with athletics in Bangladesh. It is true that our athletics is far behind the world standard. However, we also have talented athletes who are capable of competing in various events at the Asian level beyond the South Asian Region. All we need is a specific goal and a plan.”
“Monitoring at the grassroots level is essential for the development of any sport, including athletics. Any sport has to start from school. Look at the developed countries of the world.
They start from childhood. They are developed under some academy, whether government or private. During this growing period, the government or someone else takes responsibility for all the expenses of their education.”
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, ‘Notun Kuri Sports’ is going to make sports compulsory at the school level. I think this will open a new horizon for the development of our sports.”
