Published: 10:41 AM, 04 October 2026
Chief Whip calls for promoting Taekwondo in schools and colleges
The two-day 'Club Cup Open Taekwondo Championship 2026' held at the Mirpur Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium.
Organised by the Mohammadpur Taekwondo Club with the support of the Bangladesh Taekwondo Federation, this two-day competition concluded on Saturday. Approximately 850 male and female athletes from 37 clubs across the country are participating in this year's event. A festive atmosphere was created at the indoor stadium surrounding this large-scale event.
Speaking as the chief guest at the opening ceremony, Nurul Islam Moni MP—Chief Whip of the National Parliament and Vice Chairman of the BNP—stated that sports should not be viewed merely as a source of entertainment. Sports play a vital role in building a healthy and strong nation. He emphasized the importance of spreading sports like Taekwondo to the country's remote regions.
The Chief Whip specifically called for the promotion of Taekwondo practice in schools and colleges to enhance self-defense skills among girls. He said, "I would like to make a request to those currently involved with the federation. This matter is extremely important in our social context, especially regarding girls; if this program could be introduced in every school and college, I believe it would expand significantly. At the same time, we would become a much stronger nation."
Assuring his support for the expansion of Taekwondo, he added, "If there is any opportunity for me to assist in spreading this sport, please let me know. I assure you that I am ready to do so. If I get the chance to speak with the Prime Minister, I will certainly discuss this matter with her." ...because I really enjoyed the sport.”
Urging the youth to become more involved in sports, the Chief Whip stated that if opportunities arise to pursue sports as a profession, young people could represent the country on the international stage. He also remarked that excelling in sports, physical fitness, and culture is vital for a nation's progress.
Subsequently, Mahmudul Islam Rana, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Taekwondo Federation, outlined plans for organizing competitions and nurturing players at the grassroots level. He said, "One of our key objectives is to discover talented players from the country's remote areas. The federation plans to organize regular competitions to expand the sport's reach to the district, upazila, and union levels."
Rana further noted that while there are many talented boys and girls in clubs across various districts, they often fail to showcase their potential due to a lack of opportunities. This competition has created a platform for them to compete on a larger scale.
Among the approximately 850 participants, there are talented athletes from remote areas of various districts.
Explaining the process of grooming players for the international stage, the Federation General Secretary stated that players would be selected through a progression from the upazila to the district and then the divisional level.
Subsequently, the best players would be chosen based on their performance in various federation competitions. Through phased skill development, they would be prepared for international-level competition.
The organizers hope that such regular competitions will help unearth talented athletes from the grassroots level. Subsequently, they will be provided with proper training to prepare them to represent Bangladesh on the international stage.
