Govt targets badminton revival with foreign coach proposal

While the relentless merry-go-round surrounding the national men's football team head coach continues to dominate the back pages, an unexpected spotlight has suddenly been cast upon the badminton court. 

Determined to drag a beloved national pastime out of the international doldrums, Youth and Sports State Minister Aminul Haque has proposed parachuting in a foreign coach on a two-year contract.

The State Minister laid down this ambitious marker on Friday whilst taking centre stage to inaugurate the First Division Badminton League at the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium.

​Badminton enjoys immense grassroots popularity across the country, particularly as a winter pastime played in nearly every neighbourhood alleyway. 

Yet, despite regular national-level competitions, international success remains starkly elusive.

This drought is largely attributed to a lack of long-term training programmes, elite-level coaching, and consistent participation in overseas tournaments.

Addressing these structural shortcomings, the State Minister stated, "To take Bangladesh's sports arena to new heights, the current government is giving equal importance to all games. To develop badminton, a high-quality coach needs to be appointed for a two-year term. Necessary support will be provided for this."

​During his hour-long stay at the indoor stadium, the State Minister experienced the venue's failing infrastructure firsthand.

He was visibly sweating due to a poorly functioning air conditioning system and was also briefed on the facility's electrical faults.

Vowing to rectify the situation as a priority, he said, "The existing AC and electrical issues will be resolved quickly. Necessary instructions have been given."

​Looking towards broader infrastructure development, the State Minister outlined an ambitious roadmap, announcing plans to construct "Sports Villages" across all 64 districts.

Construction on the first 10 of these hubs, which will feature state-of-the-art indoor stadium facilities, is slated to commence this year.

​Although the national badminton championship has maintained a consistent schedule, the league itself has returned after a hiatus of several years.

Member of Parliament Kamruzzaman Ratan, a member of the badminton federation, alongside officials from the olympic sssociation and various other sporting bodies, joined the State Minister for the opening ceremony.