Bangladesh concluded their Asian Archery Championships campaign in Dhaka on Friday with two medals, as archers Himu Bachhar and Bannya Akter claimed silver in the compound mixed team event and Kulsum Akter Moni secured bronze in the compound women’s individual competition. The championships, held at the Army Stadium, saw Bangladesh compete closely with powerhouses India and South Korea.
Following the medal events, Youth and Sports adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan announced that each of the three medallists would receive a reward of 10 lakh taka from the government. Speaking after the prize giving ceremony, he said Bangladesh must continue to improve the support system for elite athletes if it hopes to challenge for Olympic gold. “To win gold at the Olympics you need the same facilities as those you compete against,” he said. “Within the capacity of our ministry, we will assist them. It is true that despite being a country with a large population, we do not have an Olympic gold. But I am hopeful we will achieve it through archery. We are announcing 1 million taka each for the three medallists.”
The news lifted spirits among the archers. Bannya Akter said the promise of financial support would inspire greater commitment to the sport. “If the adviser has made such an announcement, there is no happier news,” she said. “This will increase our interest in archery and help us stay more focused. Many athletes leave the sport and move abroad, and this kind of support can reduce that. Overall, I am very happy to hear about such a financial award.”
India topped the overall standings with ten medals, winning six golds, three silvers and one bronze. South Korea finished with two golds, four silvers and four bronzes.
