Bangladesh’s Ministry of Youth and Sports has announced plans to establish sports hubs across eight divisions in the country, with the support of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This initiative, aimed at decentralizing sports facilities, is designed to offer better opportunities for athletes throughout Bangladesh.

The confirmation came from Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain during an event celebrating National and International Sports Day. The event featured a friendly football match for underprivileged children at the National Stadium, where the advisor shared insights about the much-anticipated project.

"We have long been considering the creation of a central sports village. As part of our efforts to decentralize sports, we have decided to establish sports hubs in eight divisions across Bangladesh. The UAE will be assisting us with this initiative," said Asif Mahmud.

Although initial discussions about the project were held with China, the final partnership was forged with the UAE. "When Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus visited the UAE, we discussed the matter with him. Following these discussions, the UAE expressed a strong interest in supporting the project," he added.

The Ministry is currently finalizing the project’s details, including the budget. "We are in the process of determining the final cost and will inform the public once the amount is confirmed. We are hopeful that work will begin in the next financial year," Sajib Bhuiyan explained.

At present, the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan (BKSP) is the country's only dedicated sports institution. However, it has faced challenges in producing international-level athletes due to its limitations. To address this, the Sports Advisor previously proposed the creation of a Sports Institute, and a committee has been formed to explore this further. It remains uncertain whether this institute will be funded through the new sports hub project.

In addition to the sports hubs, the government is taking steps to address the lack of dedicated venues for many sports federations. Currently, most federations, with the exception of cricket and shooting, are based around the National Stadium. However, many lack proper office spaces and dedicated facilities. The Sports Advisor assured that efforts are underway to resolve these issues. "There was a piece of land in Gulshan that had been encroached upon. We have resolved the legal complications, and we are now working on providing offices and sports facilities for the indoor sports federations at that location," he said.

The establishment of these sports hubs is expected to have a significant impact on the development of sports across the country, providing athletes from all regions with better access to training and facilities.