State Minister for Youth and Sports Mohammad Aminul Haque on Wednesday called on banks and financial institutions to play a stronger role in sports development in Bangladesh, emphasising the need for structured sponsorship and financial backing to professionalise the sector.
Mohammad Aminul Haque made the remarks during a views-exchange meeting with managing directors and chief executive officers of leading banks and financial institutions at the National Sports Council conference room in Dhaka. The meeting was presided over by Md Mahbub-ul-Alam, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Addressing the participants, Aminul Haque said collaboration between the government and the private financial sector is essential for the sustainable growth of sports infrastructure and athlete development. He noted that not all sports federations are financially solvent and require institutional support to operate effectively.
“The role of the private sector, especially banks and financial institutions, along with government efforts, in developing sports fields is immense,” he said. He urged financial institutions to engage consistently through sponsorship and long-term partnerships across different sporting disciplines.
The state minister outlined policy initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of athletes and enhancing professionalism within the sector. He said the government is working to establish sports as a respectable profession and has taken steps to introduce a fixed salary structure for national-level players.
In addition, he announced that the ‘New Budding Sports’ programme, designed to identify and nurture grassroots talent nationwide, will be launched immediately after Eid-ul-Fitr.
Executives from banks and financial institutions welcomed the ministry’s initiatives and expressed support for greater collaboration to elevate Bangladesh’s sports sector to international standards. They also conveyed their willingness to work in partnership with the government to strengthen institutional frameworks and financial sustainability within the sports ecosystem.
The engagement signals a policy push to mobilise private capital for sports development, aligning public sector planning with corporate participation to build a more structured and competitive sports industry in Bangladesh.
