The 9th National Baseball Tournament-2026 commenced on Friday, at Bangladesh Ansar and VDP Academy ground in Safipur, Gazipur.
Organised by Bangladesh Baseball Federation with the overall cooperation of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party, the tournament was officially opened by the Director General of the force Major General Abdul Motaleb Sazzad Mahmud, who attended the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest.
Under the theme “The strength of baseball, the commitment of youth; sports will be a profession, families will find reassurance,” the three-day competition features a total of 14 teams from across the country, including Bangladesh Police and Bangladesh Ansar.
The tournament is being hosted at the Ansar and VDP Academy as the Bangladesh Baseball Federation does not currently possess its own dedicated ground.
In his address as the chief guest, General Abdul Motaleb said organising a modern and promising sport like baseball is a timely initiative to engage the country’s youth in positive activities and develop their latent potential.
He noted that the sport would expand through the extensive organisational network of the Bangladesh Ansar and VDP, which reaches down to the grassroots level. This, he added, would play an effective role in keeping the youth away from drugs, crime, and social decay.
Major General Sazzad Mahmud further remarked that the involvement of the Bangladesh Ansar and VDP in organising this tournament reflects the force’s organisational capability, infrastructural readiness, and sincere commitment to the development of national sports. He expressed his hope that although baseball is currently in its primary stages in Bangladesh, it will eventually be established as one of the country’s popular sports through collective efforts.
The ceremony also featured speeches from the Additional Director General of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party Brigadier General Mamunur Rashid, and officials from the Bangladesh Baseball Federation. The event was attended by officers of various ranks, sports organisers, players from the participating teams, coaches, and invited guests.
