PM confers Sheikh Kamal NSC award

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has distributed Sheikh Kamal National Sports Council (NSC) Award-2023 to 10 sports personalities and two organizations in recognition of their outstanding contribution to sports.

She handed over the awards to the recipients at a function in city’s Osmani Memorial auditorium at 11 am on Saturday (August 5).

Ministry of Youth and Sports organized the ceremony on the occasion of the 74th birth anniversary of Freedom Fighter Shaheed Captain Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Abdus Sadek, the legendary hockey player and the first captain of the Bangladesh national hockey team, was adorned with the lifetime achievement award.

Women’s football team captain Sabina Khatun, cricketer Taskin Ahmed and South Asian gold medalist weightlifter Ziarul Islam got the award in the sportsman category.

Table tennis player Muhtasin Ahmed Hridoy and hockey player Amirul Islam received the emerging athlete award, while grassroots hockey organiser Fazlul Islam and Kalsindur Govt. School and College’s principal Mala Rani Sarker were given the awards in sports organiser category.

Khandakar Tarek Md Nurullah received the sports journalist award, while Bangladesh Archery Federation received the sports association/federation/organisation award, and Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB) got the sports sponsor award.

On behalf of BAB, Md Nazrul Islam Mazumder and Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat received the award.

In addition, the ministry, for the first time, included the sports commentator category in the Sheikh Kamal NSC award. Former national cricketer and cricket commentator Atahar Ali Khan received the sports commentator award.

Each of the awardees received Taka one lakh, a crest, and a certificate.