Bounties aplenty for victors

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared a cash award of Tk 3 lakh each for the members of the triumphant Bangladesh cricket team who recently clinched test and one-day international series wins in a row against West Indies and Zimbabwe, as she extended them praise and perks.

She also said the winning tigers will be given a grand reception after the end of this mourning month of August, which commemorates the sad demise of the country’s founding father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and most members of his family.

Sheikh Hasina made the announcement when the national cricketers, now basking in the acclaim for their memorable win spree in the international cricket, met the Prime Minister at her official residence Jamuna Saturday.

Congratulating the players—all young and promising in this game of glory--the Prime Minister gave a pat on their back and garlanded them. She also presented gifts to the officials of the cricket-team management.

On behalf of the cricket team, its captain and world-champion all-rounder Sakib Al Hasan presented the Prime Minister the winning trophy of Zimbabwe tour and a cricket bat synchronized with the national players’ signatures.

Earlier at the moment of ecstasy, the BCB had announced a bonus of Tk 1.5 crore for the tigers for their maiden overseas test-series triumph against West Indies.

Addressing the cricket team, the Prime Minister hailed players as “victorious tigers” and said she was too overwhelmed to express her joy over the triumphs of the national cricket team.

“The whole nation is proud of you. You are our golden boys,” she told the young cricketers.

Hasina noted that like all she also hopes that the tempo of victory, which started in the West Indies and Zimbabwe, would continue in the future also.

“Just carry on hard work with integrity. The government and the people will be with you,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said though the players are the main factors in the field of sports, the government and the authorities have the most significant role to play.

A smiling Hasina told them that Bangladesh had been able to attain the test status when Awami League government was in power in the previous tenure.

“If a government does not promote sports and culture, a country cannot have significant achievements in the fields,” she said.

The Prime Minister focused on the significance of media role in flourishing sports in the country, calling upon the media people to write in such a way so that the players got more inspired to gather glory for the nation.

She further asked the developers to ensure playground whenever the real-estate companies implement any housing projects. She also asked for conserving water- bodies in and around project sites.

“It makes me unhappy when I see our children in the urban areas not having enough space to play in. Without involvement in sports, a child cannot be grown up with full mental and physical health, confidence and bravery,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina stressed the need for introducing modern technologies and equipment in training facilities for the cricketers to keep the winning streak on stream in the days to come.

“From the government, we will do everything possible for development of the sports sector,” she said in her promise while announcing the perks.