| Part ofa series on the |
| Culture of Bangladesh |
|---|
.svg) |
|
Monuments |
Sport in Bangladesh is a popular form of entertainment as well as an essential part ofBangladeshi culture.Cricket is the most popular sport inBangladesh followed byfootball.Kabaddi is the national sport of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is one of the top 10 cricketing nations of the world and has regularly qualified for the Cricket World Cup since 1999, the country achieved arguably its greatest heights in Cricket, when it defeated three of the top-rated teams in2015 Cricket World Cup to qualify for the quarterfinals. In 2015, they white-washed Pakistan and clinched the series by 3-0 and in another major achievement they won a series against India by 2-1 in the same year, they beat South Africa 2–1 in an ODI series and cemented their spot in Champions Trophy 2017.
In football, Bangladesh is only the second team fromSouth Asia to have qualified for theAFC Asian Cup (1980). The country's greatest success in football was their2003 SAFF Gold Cup triumph along with winning gold at the1999 South Asian Games. TheShadhin Bangla football team was one of the first instances of a national sports team representing the country internationally, during their tour ofIndia amidst theBangladesh Liberation War.[1]
TheNational Sports Council (NSC) is the governing body to controls all the sports federations and councils in the country and is responsible to the Ministry of Youth and Sports. There are a total of 46 different sports federations affiliated with the NSC.[2]Bangladesh Games is the largest domesticmulti-sport tournament in the country, where athletes and sports teams from all the districts participate.
| Leagues | Sports | Broadcaster(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh Premier League | Men's football | T Sports |
| Bangladesh Women's Football League | Women's football | T Sports |
| Bangladesh Premier League | Men's cricket | T Sports >V |
| Hockey Champions Trophy Bangladesh | Men's field hockey | T Sports |
Cricket is arguably the most popular sport in the country. Its popularity rose after thenational team won theICC Trophy in 1997 and for the first time qualified for theCricket World Cup in1999. In 2000, Bangladesh became a full member ofInternational Cricket Council which allowed it to playTest cricket. Bangladesh regularly hosts many internationalOne Day matches, Test matches, andTwenty20 Internationals. In 2011, Bangladesh hosted the2011 Cricket World Cup along with India andSri Lanka. Bangladesh was also elected to host the2014 ICC World Twenty20.Bangladesh Cricket Board is the premier governing body to manage the development of the sport in the country.
In the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, Bangladesh beat England and reached the quarter-finals for the first time. However, they were knocked out in the quarter-final against India. Bangladesh also reached the semifinals of the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, held in England and Wales, but lost to India again in the semis. The Bangladesh women's team beat India in the 2018 Asia Cup Finals to become only the second team after six-time winners India to lift the trophy.
On 9 February 2020, the Bangladesh Under-19 cricket team won the2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in South Africa after beating India in a nail-biting final. This was Bangladesh's first win in an ICC event at any level.
Throughout history,football has been a major sport in Bangladesh.[3] The country's football legacy was even present during theBangladesh Liberation War, through the rise of theShadhin Bangla football team, who toured throughoutIndia and played friendly matches to raise international awareness and economic support for the liberation war.[3] During the 70s and 80s, football was the most popular sport in the country, but ever since the downfall in results and cricket's rise in the late 90s, it is now considered to be the second most popular game in Bangladesh. TheBangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is in charge of managing the sport in the country.
In 1976, Bangladesh became affiliated withFIFA. The mid-eighties saw a surge in support for the three traditional domestic giantsDhaka Mohammedan,Abahani Limited Dhaka andBrothers Union, who established massive fan bases all over the country. The most anticipated game in Bangladeshi domestic football is theDhaka Derby and during the majority of the 80s, the derby was seen as the biggest sporting event in the country.[4] Since independence, the country has hosted two majorAFC tournaments, the1978 AFC Youth Championship and the2006 AFC Challenge Cup.[5][6]
The national team's only appearance in theAFC Asian Cup to date was during the1980 edition when they became only the secondSouth Asian team to qualify for the main tournament. In 1995, the national team won the4-nation Tiger Trophy inMyanmar, which was their first ever major trophy.[7] Even after the decline of domestic football, there are more football tournaments organized in and outside Dhaka than any other sports, and football fever grips the nation during everyFIFA World Cup.[8]
In 2022, the women's team created history by winning the2022 SAFF Women's Championship, defeatingNepal in the final.[9]
Hockey has been one of the most popular sports in Bangladesh. It comes right after Cricket and football considering their popularity. However, the lack of responsible officials and maladministration has led this sport to decline as well. Bangladesh, even though, regularly participates in theHockey Asia Cup and also hosted its edition in 1985. TheBangladesh Hockey Federation, the national governing body for the sport, every year organizes some domestic competitions in the country, most notably the Premier Division Hockey League. In 2022 Bangladesh started its first-ever franchise hockey leagueHockey Champions Trophy Bangladesh.
Ha-du-du is recognized as the national sport in Bangladesh.[10] The sport is played all through the country. Bangladesh has been regularly participating inAsian Games forHa-du-du. However, the recent rise of other sports has led to a decline in their popularity. Bangladesh was once considered one of the top sides to play against in the world but has now been weakening due to a lack of funds and other reasons.
Chess is a popular indoor game in Bangladesh and the country has given birth to many talented chess players. Bangladeshi chess playerNiaz Murshed is the firstGrandmaster to emerge fromSouth Asia in 1987.[11] TheBangladesh Chess Federation has become a member of theFIDE in 1979. Every year it arranges some 15 to 20 tournaments at the national and international levels. TheBangladeshi Chess Championship is the annual individual national chess championship in the country.
Golf has recently seen an increase in its popularity in Bangladesh. The sport was not much notable untilSiddikur Rahman became the first Bangladeshi golfer to win anAsian Tour event at theBrunei Open in2010.[12] Subsequently, the sport began to get enough media coverage in Bangladesh and also succeeded in acquiring sponsors to ensure its financial sufficiency.
TheBangladesh Handball Federation developed this sport in the country which has been a member ofInternational Handball Federation since 1986. Both men's and women's teams from Bangladesh represent the nation in various international events most notably theSouth Asian Games. In addition, BHF, with assistance from the Ministry of Education, holds annual inter-school championships for both boys and girls throughout the country.
Volleyball is very popular in Bangladesh and practiced throughout the country but still struggles to have pleasant performances in the international arena. TheBangladesh Volleyball Federation was formed in 1972 and got its affiliation fromFédération Internationale de Volleyball andAsian Volleyball Confederation in 1976. So far, Bangladesh has participated twice in theAsian Games, twice in theAsian Youth Volleyball Championship, and thrice in theAsian Men's Volleyball Championship. Bangladesh Volleyball Team achieved the Runners-up Trophy of the International Volleyball Championships held in Pakistan from 28 to 30 January 2009.[13] There are also annual inter-school and national championships for the sport.
Basketball is a popular sport in Bangladesh mostly in the urban areas. TheBangladesh Basketball Federation has been affiliated withFIBA since 1978. Bangladesh has never qualified forBasketball at the Summer Olympics or theFIBA World Championship. Thenational team's best finish at theFIBA Asia Championship was 13th in1979. The other notable achievement was winning a bronze at the2010 South Asian Games.
Rugby is a minor but rapidly growing sport in Bangladesh. The history of rugby in Bangladesh, however, dates back to the 19th century during theBritish rule, when the Europeans used to play the sport in Bangladesh. After the fall of the British dynasty, the sport had little or no presence in the country. However, in 2007, after a long period of dormancy, some Japanese coaches started a youth program. Various schools sent under-12s to the training camp.[14] TheBangladesh Rugby Association, the national governing body for the sport has been training these children to start an inter-schools tournament.[14] Bangladesh Rugby Association became Bangladesh Rugby Federation Union after getting affiliated with the Federation. Now, the Bangladesh Rugby Federation Union is a member of the Bangladesh Olympic Association, National Sports Council & Asia Rugby.
Bangladesh Rugby has especially been raised under the Current General Secretary Mr Mousum Ali. Besides, Bangladesh Rugby has specially stepped up after introducing a Rugby Development Team.
Bangladesh shows a bright future insquash, with a flourishing number of tournaments arranged recently,[15] Many promising players is coming up from this country. Recent measures taken by thegovernment as well as the efforts made by the officials of theBangladesh Squash Racket Federation have resulted in the growth of the popularity of squash in Bangladesh. The Government has proposed to provide a land where the main Federation headquarters will be built. Grameenphone Open Squash Tournament is a major tournament in Bangladesh. Some promising squash players from Bangladesh include Swapan Parvez, Raju Ram, Iman, Tamim, Habbarter Ribhu etc.[16]
Tennis is mostly played in the urban areas of Bangladesh. TheGrand Slam tournaments like theUS Open,Wimbledon are very popular among the urban people. Still, so far nobody represented the country in a grand slam as very few take the sport professionally. Since 2008, theBangladesh Tennis Federation has been holding an annual international junior tennis tournament to promote and develop the sport in the country.
Bangladesh Davis Cup team made itsDavis Cup debut in1986. Bangladesh succeeded in reaching the semi-finals three years later inDavis Cup 1989 in Asia/Oceania Zone Group II that was held inSingapore.[17]
Table tennis has been played in Bangladesh since the 1950s. Although, the game is very popular in schools, colleges, and universities, tournaments outside educational institutions are not rare. TheBangladesh Table Tennis Federation was created in 1972. The same year, it became a member of theAsian andWorld Table Tennis Federations. Many national and international competitions are held by BTTF as well as some major sponsors.[18]
Bangladesh takes part in different international table tennis tournaments and achieved some success too. In 1997, the Bangladesh boys' team got third place in the first junior competition among 12 countries of theSAARC andASEAN regions. Bangladesh also won some medals in the South Asian Games. Bangladesh successfully hosted theAsian Cup Table Tennis Tournament in 1991. Bangladeshi table tennis player,Zobera Rahman Linu has won the national table tennis championships in the individual category 16 times, which is the most by any sportsperson in any country of the world.
Thecycling community is getting bigger with time in Bangladesh. There are South Dhaka Cyclists "SDC",Bangladeshi Cyclists and so many other Cycling groups that help to promote cycling and a healthy lifestyle among all people.
Bangladesh is a riverine country, having more than 250 rivers flowing through it. Hence swimming has always been a part of the lives of Bangladeshis. Bangladesh has produced a legendary swimmerBrojen Das, who was the firstAsian to swim across theEnglish Channel,[19] and the first person to cross it four times. He is also the only person outside the United Kingdom and Australia to win the title ofKing of the Channel, from the Channel Swimming Association.[20]
Bangladesh has been participating in theOlympics,Asian Games, and other multinational competitions forathletics but hasn't been pleased with its performance. Bangladeshi athletes have won some medals at theSouth Asian Games. TheBangladesh Athletics Federation is the national governing body for athletics. The sport of athletics is a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross-country running, and race walking.
Shooting is a promising sport in Bangladesh. Two gold medals at theCommonwealth Games for Bangladesh came from Shooting. Bangladesh has also won many gold medals at the South Asian Games. Shooting in Bangladesh came to the spotlight whenAsif Hossain Khan clinched the10-meter air rifle gold medal in the Commonwealth Games in2002 and repeated his success in the South Asian Games in2004. TheBangladesh Shooting Sport Federation - BSSF is the governing body for shooting sport in Bangladesh. Now, the President of BSSF is Mr. Nazimuddin Chowdhury & Secretary General is Mr. Enthekhabul Hamid for 2020.
Archery is a new but promising sport in Bangladesh. Archery was introduced in Bangladesh in 2000 and theBangladesh Archery Federation was formed in 2001 and affiliated with theWorld Archery Federation in 2003.[21] Having won some gold and silver medals at some multinational Archery championships,Emdadul Haque Milon andRuman Shana are the most promising archers in Bangladesh.[22][23]
Boxing is not very popular in Bangladesh. TheBangladesh Amateur Boxing Federation is the controlling board for boxing in Bangladesh. Most of the boxers in Bangladesh emerge from theRajshahi andJessore regions. Even though the performance of Bangladeshi boxers at the international level has been abysmal, the boxers have succeeded in winning some gold medals at the South Asian Games.[24]
Butthan is a Bangladeshi martial art and an approved combat Sport included by theNational Sports Council (NSC) underMinistry of Youth & Sports, Bangladesh.[25] Butthan is also a system of personal development to obtain body-mind balance. Its three main pillars are Sports, Self-defense, and Well-being. But that was founded by GrandmasterMak Yuree Vajramunee who was selected as one of the top five Superhumans by the Discovery Channel scientists team. He has many years of training in 40 different martial arts styles.[26]
Bangladesh has been taking part in various multinational competitions for Karate and has won a total of seven gold medals at the South Asian Games. In 2010, Bangladesh achieved the highest number of four gold medals from Karate among all sports events and secured first position in the 11th South Asian Games. In 2019, Bangladesh secured three gold medals ranking second after archery in the 13th South Asian Games. Md. Hasan Khan, Md Hossain Khan, and Syed Nuruzzaman secured the first gold medal and made history for Karate in the South Asian Games in 2010. TheBangladesh Karate Federation, the national governing body for Karate, holds some annual Karate championships to promote the sport.[27] Bangladesh Karate-Do is the most famous among the karate training institutes in Bangladesh.[28]
TheBangladesh Taekwondo Federation was formed in 1996 and is affiliated with theWorld Taekwondo Federation.[29] Bangladesh Taekwondo team achieved 2 Gold at Open International Taekwondo Championships-2009 held inSeoul from 18 to 22 August 2009.[30] Bangladesh has also won some gold medals at the South Asian games.[31]
Car racing is a growing sport in Bangladesh.Avik Anwar,[32] Affan Sadat and Aiman Sadat are Bangladesh's best racers.
| Summer Olympic Sports |
|  |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympic Sports |
| |
| Olympic Esports Games | ||
| Other IOC Recognised Sports |
| |
| Paralympics and Disabled Sports | ||
| Others Sports | ||
