Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hassan, MP on Thursday said there is huge potential for women in the country’s sports arena and laid emphasis on nurturing them at the early stage.

‘There is huge potential for them if they are properly guided and nurtured at the early stage,’ he said while inaugurating Summit-DRU (Dhaka Reporters Unity) Media Cup Cricket-2018 at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium, reports the UNB.

Expressing his disappointment over absence of female cricketers in the tournament, he suggested the DRU to come up with a tournament with the participation of female cricketers.

Sharing success stories of female football team (under-16), Nazmul Hassan said they are playing wonderful. ‘They have shown and proved that they can. The U-16 women’s team became champions in football.’

The BCB President gave credit to media for today’s popularity of cricket in Bangladesh. ‘The credit goes not only to the cricketers who are inspiring children to go out there and play but also reporters who cover the sports. Today we see cricket item as the first story (in sports page).’

He said in maximum newspapers in Bangladesh, cricket is the news that is always the priority when it comes to sports news. ‘That does not happen in any other country.’

The BCB chief said cricket is popular in England and Australia but when it comes to top news, cricket is not the one there. ‘It is usually rugby or football. Only in Bangladesh does one see that the first sports news is on cricket.’

He laid emphasis on giving an opportunity to the new generation and involve them in all sports as there unbelievable potential.

The BCB President announced Tk 5 lakh support to the DRU for continuing their sports events.

BCB directors Mohammed Jalal Yunus and Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, Bangladesh Volleyball Federation President and former president of BGMEA M Atiqul Islam, DRU President and the chief news editor of Boishakhi TV Saiful Islam, DRU general secretary Syed Sukkur Ali Shuvo, among others, were present.

In the inaugural match, Boishakhi TV won against United News of Bangladesh (UNB) by five wickets.

A total of 50 print, electronic, news agencies and online media houses splitting into 16 groups are taking part in the knock out basis cricket tournament.