& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Schools football kicks off July 11

SPORTS REPORTER
The first-ever schools football tournament will begin in the city on July 11. The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) launched the juvenile tournament in an effort to re-ignite the popularity of game in the country.
The BFF has also arranged a colourful opening ceremony at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Thursday, a day before the tournament kicks off at five different city venues simultaneously.
Minister for Relief and Disaster Management Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yousuf will formally inaugurate the 60-team meet at 4 pm at the all-purpose venue.
Although the BFF made a wholehearted effort to get a sponsor for this unique event, unfortunately no companies or individuals showed their willingness to finance this development programme.
"We have approached many quarters. But everybody avoided us on one pretext or another," said BFF general secretary Anwarul Huq Helal. He also lamented this stepmotherly attitude.
"Even ten years ago sponsors would have come to us. But now the roles are reversed."
Meanwhile, tournament secretary Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu was heartened by the fact that the response from the schools was spontaneous.
"This is the ideal platform to groom future national stars and for
the youngsters to showcase their talents. We are beginning from Dhaka but I assure you that we will spread it across the country from next year," he said at the press briefing at the NSC Conference Room yesterday.
BFF president SA Sultan and tournament committee chairman Monir Ahmed also attended the briefing.
The BFF president also said that due to time constraints only schools within the capital are competing in the event this time.
"But from next year, it will be a countrywide event and hopefully it will be held regularly," said Sultan.
The sixty teams, split into five zones, will compete in the five city venues -- Dhanmondi Club ground, Uttara Police Lines ground, Dhaka University ground, Basabo ground and East End Club ground.
The duration of each match will be 60 minutes. The first phase will be completed on July 16. The top two teams from each zone will then play in a ten-team final round.