Shuttlers plan to make a mark in debut outing

The Asian Games is the second largest multi-sports event in the world of sports after the Olympic Games. Although the participation of the red and green in this largest sports event in Asia, which started in 1951, has been regular since 1978, there has been a lasting regret. Finally, that regret is about to end. If all goes well, Bangladesh is going to participate in the badminton discipline for the first time in the 2026 Asian Games to be held in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan from 19 September to 4 October, 2026. In this upcoming mega event, Bangladesh will compete in a total of 22 disciplines, of which this badminton court has become one of the main attractions.

Looking at the history of the Asian Games, it can be seen that badminton was added to it three years after the tournament started. But Bangladesh had to wait for decades to see its participation in this event. Interestingly, there is no difficult qualifying round to participate in the Asian Games badminton. According to the rules, any country can participate directly through the "open entry" facility through its own country's Olympic Association. Despite such an open opportunity, Bangladesh has not sent a team to this event so far due to its relative backwardness in the international arena and world rankings. After more than 15 years, the country's shuttlers are finally entering the Games stage by proving their worth.

Recently, there has been a new awakening in badminton in Bangladesh. A group of talented players like Al-Amin Jhumar, Moazzem Hossain Ohidul, Gaurab Shingho, Urmi Akhter and Ayman Ibne Zaman have shown great proof of their capabilities in the last few years. They are also competing at the international level beyond the domestic arena, which has had a positive impact on their world rankings. With full confidence in the consistent performance and improvement graph of these young shuttlers, Bangladesh has taken the bold decision to send a team to a big stage like the Asian Games in badminton discipline.

The concerned parties do not want to leave any gap in preparation before participating in such a big event for the first time. After a few weeks of intensive practice in the country, an advanced and world-class training camp has been arranged for the four shuttlers in Bengaluru, India. India has always dominated badminton in South Asia and their shuttlers also play with authority in the world rankings. The city of Bengaluru in particular is well-known for its world-class badminton infrastructure. Therefore, the Bangladesh team will be able to get the best preparation for the Asian Games by practicing there. On the other hand, another star shuttler of the country, Ayman, is currently in the United States. Although he is not with the team in India, he is preparing himself for the upcoming mega tournament in advanced facilities there.

This important preparation camp in Bengaluru will continue till 10 September. Ohidul, Akhter and Shingho have already joined the camp there. However, Jhumar is still in Dhaka due to some complications. He is expected to go to India in the next couple of days to join his teammates.

Jhumar is very excited to be a part of this new chapter of the Asian Games. Talking about his and the team's preparations, the young shuttler said, "Those of us who got a chance in the Asian Games are going to train in India. Since training arrangements have been made outside of the country, of course it is a very good opportunity for us. We can hope that everything will go well. But it is also a platform for us to gain a great experience, because this is the first time badminton has been selected for the Asian Games."

The shuttlers will return home after honing their skills, fitness and tactics in Bengaluru until 10 September. After that, the Bangladesh team will leave Dhaka with the aim of giving their best on the courts of Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.