Mehedi Masud
The 11th South Asian Games, the largest sports event of the region, got underway on Friday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the 12-day sport gala by releasing white pigeons at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) at 4:45 pm.
Nearly 1,800 athletes from eight countries are taking part in the Games. They are competing in 23 disciplines to win 158 gold medals. Host Bangladesh has largest contingent about 447 athletes.
The 23 disciplines are archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, football, golf, handball, hockey, judo, kabaddi, karate, shooting, squash, swimming, cricket, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu.
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was not invited to the opening ceremony. Ruling Awami League lawmakers, leaders and activists were active at the ceremony.
Bangladesh is hosting the sport extravaganza for the third time after staging it in 1985 (second SAF games,) and 1993 (six SAF games, formally named), when the Games were formerly known as South Asian Federation (SAF) Games.
Around 11,800 school students, 1300 ansars, 1000 army men took part in various colourful displays at the opening ceremony.
Commonwealth Games gold winning shooter Asif Hossain Khan carried the Bangladesh national flag in the opening ceremony. Bangladesh football captain Aminul Haq and athlete Nazmun Nahar Beauty took oath on behalf of the participating athletes of the games.
BFF and SAFF president Kazi Salahuddin acted as the torchbearer inside the stadium right before lighting the torch tower at the top of the stadium.
The Games torch was ignited at the Meghnaghat Power Stadium on Thursday. National sports award winning swimmer Wing Comdr Rafiqul Islam carried the torch, which was lit by finance minister AMA Muhith and then handed over to another award winning veteran sportsman Bashir Ahmed to carry to the Games venue.
The Bangladesh Olympic Association released nearly 8,000 gallery tickets of taka 50 each for the opening ceremony.
Hundreds of people gathered outside the stadium to purchase tickets but they all did not succeed to secure tickets.
Thought the event has been organised at a cost of about taka 122 crore, it lacks many facilities that it should have.
Many complained Bangladesh Olympic association focused more on business than on games.