Bangladesh cycling plans growth despite funding crisis

The Bangladesh Cycling Federation has mapped out new plans to expand international representation, boost training, and stage an inter-services tournament, despite grappling with severe fund shortages and the lack of a dedicated track.

The decisions were taken on Sunday during the first meeting of the federation’s newly formed executive committee.

"Steps will be taken to ensure the presence of elected committee members in various activities of the UCI and Asian Cycling Confederation," said General Secretary Parvez Hasan. "Our meeting also decided to send two individuals who completed Level-1 training to Delhi for Level-2 coaching."

An Inter-Services Cycling Championship featuring the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Border Guard Bangladesh, and Ansar is scheduled for 10 or 11 September, with the option to defer by a week if needed.

On federation elections, Vice-President Mohiul Islam stated, "Preparations to hold the national-level election with councillors will begin once district and divisional elections are complete."

However, financial woes remain the biggest hurdle. The federation receives around Tk7 lakh for office operations, Tk4 lakh for training, and Tk15 lakh for competitions annually from the National Sports Council, whereas staging a single national championship costs nearly Tk30 lakh.

With zero reserve funds, fixed deposits, or bank balances, riders must train on public roads like Hatirjheel, 300 Feet, and stadium premises. The federation plans to seek sports ministry assistance.

Meanwhile, riders Sahadat Hossain Alif and Sobur Hossain will represent Bangladesh in the individual time trial at the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan.