Bangladesh’s performance at the recently concluded 4th South Asian Senior Athletics Championships once again highlighted the ongoing decline in the country’s athletics sector. The nation secured three bronze medals in relay events, placing fourth among six participating countries in Ranchi.
During the three-day competition, Bangladesh sent a delegation of 19 athletes, with eight being women, to compete in 19 out of the 36 total events. India emerged as the dominant force with 20 gold, 20 silver, and 18 bronze medals, followed by Sri Lanka with 16 gold, 14 silver, and 10 bronze medals.
Surprisingly, Nepal outperformed Bangladesh by clinching two silver and four bronze medals, with five stemming from individual events. This outcome starkly contrasts with past achievements when Bangladeshi athletes regularly fared well in South Asian competitions.
Despite rigorous training since July in preparation for the upcoming South Asian Games in Pakistan, the majority of Bangladeshi athletes failed to achieve personal bests and struggled with subpar timings at the championships. This was a cause of frustration for many athletes who had recently competed in the Inter-Service Athletics Championships.
Mohammad Ismail of the Bangladesh Navy, who finished sixth in the 100m sprint, highlighted the challenges of competing internationally with limited recovery time between tournaments. He emphasized the difficulties faced due to travel, scheduling, and lack of familiarity with floodlit competitions.
Najimul Hossain Rony from the Bangladesh Army echoed these sentiments, expressing concerns about the team’s performance and the impact of inadequate planning and facilities. Despite these setbacks, there remains optimism for improvement before the upcoming SA Games.
Criticism has been directed towards team selection decisions, such as excluding top athletes like Mahfuzur Rahman and Golam Sorowar from key events. Furthermore, revelations about sprinters being reassigned to relay events due to insufficient relay specialists have raised further questions about the federation’s decision-making process.
National coach Abdullah Hel Kafi emphasized the urgent need for better training facilities, modern equipment, strategic planning, and a conducive environment to enhance the performance of Bangladeshi athletes in future competitions.