The “President’s Challenge Cup Archery Tournament and Joint Training Programme” has begun at the Archery Training Academy in Tongi, Gazipur, in a festive atmosphere. The four-day event will conclude on August 2.
A total of 26 countries are participating in the event in various capacities (including players, coaches, and technical officials), with 17 countries competing in the main competition. The competition is limited to recurve individual and mixed events only.
This morning, State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad inaugurated the tournament and training programme as chief guest. In his speech at the inauguration ceremony, the state minister spoke about the venue and surrounding environment in Tongi. He noted some shortcomings in the conditions required for archery, particularly highlighting waste management issues near the Archery Training Academy, and said the matter would be resolved through discussions with local administrators, relevant officials, and the area’s members of parliament.
At the event, World Archery Asia President and Bangladesh Archery Federation President Kazi Rajib Uddin Ahmed Chapal shared his experience and goals. He noted that while his tenure as World Archery Asia President has lasted about eight months, it has been only eight days since he took over as president of the Bangladesh Archery Federation.
Referring to past commitments made by the Bangladesh Archery Federation, he said the federation has consistently delivered on its promises. Recalling a past memory, he said that at the time, the Bangladesh Olympic Association had expected only one gold medal at the SAFF Games, but the federation exceeded that many times over, delivering a total of 10 gold medals. He noted that their achievements have always surpassed expectations.
Outlining his ambitions for the future, he expressed strong conviction: “InshaAllah, we are committed to this — if Bangladesh is to win a medal at the Olympics, we may not achieve it in 2028, but by 2032, with our current young generation, we will definitely bring Bangladesh an Olympic medal.”
Through this four-day joint training programme and competition, the country’s archers are getting a valuable opportunity to hone their skills to international standards — something organizers hope will bring greater success for Bangladesh in the future.
