Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday stressed creating more scopes of sports for children and young men to divert them from various social menaces like militancy, terrorism and drug addiction.

‘I think we have to create more scopes of sports to bring back the young people and children from various social diseases,’ she said.

The Prime Minister said this while handing over the National Sports Awards for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 among 32 sportspersons and organisers in recognition of their contributions to their respective fields of sports, reports UNB.

The award distribution ceremony was held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Sunday.

Sheikh Hasina said sports are essentially needed for the country to create discipline, diligence, responsibility, dutifulness and patriotism among children and young people.

She also mentioned that the more the children and young people will be involved in sports the more they will be physically fit. ‘They'll also get stronger in their thinking and conception. If they have healthier bodies, they'll get healthier hearts, and then their minds won't go to the wrong path.

Talking about the recent trend of militancy which she described as 'illness', the Prime Minister said these days they are seeing severe illness in society. ‘These militancy, terrorism and drug addiction are just ruining young people and children...these are destroying their hearts and health. These are contaminating this society...we'll have to bring back our young people from the wrong path,’ she said.

Responding to a demand from Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh from now will observe 6 April as the National Sports Day being associated with the International Day for Sports of the United Nations.

She urged the well-off section of society to extend their helping hand for the promotion of sports in the country.

Hasina mentioned that Bangabandhu founded the National Sport Control Sangstha in 1972 and constituted 16 national sports federations. In 1974, parliament enacted the Bangladesh Sports Council Act which cleared the way for establishing the present National Sports Council (NSC).

Hasina said Bangabandhu established welfare foundation for sportspersons in 1975 and sent many to the then Soviet Russia, East Germany and India for higher training.

Talking about cricket, the Prime Minister said, it was the Awami League government which sowed the seed of success in cricket.

She said Bangladesh is now a giant in cricket arena and has already beat most of the world’s formidable teams. ‘And the fact is that every team now counts 'Royal Bengal Tigers'. The tigers will do better in the future one day they will win the World Cup,’ she hoped.

Hasina said the government is giving importance to chase, shooting, basketball, handball, gymnastics, archery, swimming and other Olympic events apart from encouraging indigenous sports.

Chaired by State Minister for Youth and Sports Dr Biren Shikder, the function was also attended by Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Arif Khan Joy, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel.

Youth and Sports Secretary Kazi Akhter Uddin Ahmed delivered the welcome address.