Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday urged teachers to create opportunity of sports and other extracurricular activities in every school to help students flourish their talent and skill in addition to regular learning process.

Every upazila will have at least a mini stadium for every student to have access to sports practice, she said urging the students to take part in sports, culture and other activities for their proper physical and mental growth.

The prime minister said this while distributing trophies of Bangabandhu Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament 2015 and Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament 2015 at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka on Tuesday evening.  

‘Sports and cultural activities will keep our children healthy, develop their spirit of competition and help improve their mental and physical growth. Side by side, attraction to sports would prevent them from involving in any unsocial activities like drug and crime which is crucial to build up future leadership of the country,’ she said.  

The sports-loving the prime minister enjoyed the final match of Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup Football Tournament between Kalasindur Government Primary School Football Team and Kharddakowda Government Primary School Football Team from her Gonobhaban residence and later from the VVIP gallery of the stadium.  

Kalasindur Government Primary School Football Team emerged champions for the third consecutive time of Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup Football Tournament that started its journey in 2011.  

Rajakhali Government Primary School of Pekua became champions defeating Dholaipar Government Primary School of Demra, Dhaka in the final match of Bangabandhu Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament arranged for the sixth time for school students.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appreciated the skill of the tiny-tot players and thanked them for presenting an excited final. The tournament has infused enthusiasm into the students to flourish their talent in sports alongside in academic field, she said, adding that Bangladesh is now honoured at the global level for the little sportsmen and women.  

Expressing her pleasure for huge participation of the players in the two tournaments, the Prime Minister said large participation of the players and teams has made the tournaments as the biggest events,’ she said extending her heartfelt thanks to all participating teams and hoping their better performance in future.  

This year a total of 63,509 teams participated in Bangabandhu Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament and 63,431 teams took part in Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Primary School Football Tournament held across the country under the management of the district administrations.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over trophies and prize money to the champion, runner-up and third-ranked teams of Bangabandhu Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament 2015 and Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament-2015.  

She also adorned each player of the champion, runner-up and third-ranked teams with medals and gave prize money.  

Minister for Primary and Mass Education Mostafizur Rahman, Deputy Minister for Sports Arif Khan Joy and President of Bangladesh Football Federation Kazi Salauddin were present on the occasion, among others.