Omar Faruk 

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has taken groundbreaking steps to ensure social security for national-level sports card holders and facilitate their dignified life. Keeping in mind the theme 'Sports becomes a profession , family gets confidence', a review meeting was held on Sunday  at the conference room of the ministry to provide various benefits to sports card holders.

 State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque was present as the chief guest at the meeting. Policy decisions were taken in the meeting to ensure special travel facilities in public transport and healthcare , life insurance and risk insurance for sports card holders.

This sports card and sports allowance program has been started with the aim of making sports attractive to the young generation as a potential profession and providing state recognition to athletes. According to the ministry's plan , this card will not be limited to just a simple identity card , but rather an integrated framework is being developed to ensure various state and institutional facilities for athletes. Already, 325 selected national athletes have been brought under this card in various events , of which 300 are initially receiving regular sports allowances. This institutional recognition will play a helpful role in organizing the future of athletes and further increasing their responsibility towards the state.

To make this program more effective and fruitful, detailed discussions were held with senior officials of Bangladesh Railway , Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority , DMTCL and the insurance sector. As per the initial plan , discussions were held on taking measures to provide discounted fares for sports card holders in government and private public transport in the country. In addition, work is being accelerated to bring them under special healthcare , life insurance and risk insurance benefits to deal with sports accidents , advanced medical expenses and overall life risks , where government and private insurance companies will work as partners.

Among others, the meeting was attended by Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam , Director General of Bangladesh Railway Md. Afzal Hossain , BIWTA member Md. Moazzem Hossain , Director of DMTCL Md. Aminur Rahman , GM of Jibon Bima Corporation Abu Naim Md. Maruf Khan , Director General of Bangladesh Shipping Owners Association Sidduqur Rahman Patwari and representatives of the transport sector.