CHATTOGRAM, July 30,  (v7n) – The 'Prime Minister's Gold Cup National Football Competition 2026', the largest football tournament in the nation's sports history, is expected to commence in the second week of August, with the Prime Minister likely to open the event on September 9 or 10.

Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon announced this at a press conference at the July Revolution Hall of the Chattogram Press Club, expressing determination to build Bangladesh's identity on the world stage by strengthening the foundation of sports from the grassroots. He said over 1.60 lakh students from 40,231 educational institutions across the country are set to participate in the event, organised by the Ministry of Education.

After the press conference, the minister launched a road show on Jamal Khan Road and visited Chattogram District Stadium, which will host the tournament's opening. He said the tournament aims to position Bangladesh on the international stage by fortifying grassroots sports, with the primary goal of developing a healthy, skilled, and talented generation by integrating education with sports.

"One of our aspirations is to professionalise sports and elevate Bangladesh's sports sector to an international standard," he added. The minister noted that while previous sports events involved 22 lakh primary-level students, this competition will engage students from secondary, higher secondary, madrasas, and technical institutions nationwide, with approximately one crore students participating from 19,221 secondary schools, 1,956 schools and colleges, 3,380 colleges, 9,296 madrasas, and 678 technical institutions.

State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs, Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, emphasised the importance of expanding sports to the grassroots level, saying the government aims to identify talent at the union and upazila levels to enhance the country's sports strength.

Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain, Abu Sufian MP, Ershad Ullah MP, Secretary of the Ministry of Education Abdul Khalek, Divisional Commissioner Dr. Md. Ziauddin, Police Commissioner Hasan Md. Shawkat Ali, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah, Superintendent of Police Md. Masud Alam, and Chairman of the Chattogram Education Board Professor Abdullah Al Mamun Chowdhury, among others, were present.

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