Bangladesh and the World Ethnosports Union (WEU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at promoting traditional sports and enhancing cultural cooperation between the two sides.
The agreement was signed in Istanbul at the headquarters of the World Ethnosports Union by Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Adviser, Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, and WEU President Necmeddin Bilal Erdogan.
Prior to the signing ceremony, the two officials held a bilateral meeting where they underscored the significance of traditional games in preserving and enriching civilisations and cultural heritage. They reaffirmed their commitment to working together to promote indigenous sports on a global platform.
Bilal Erdogan highlighted the rich potential of Bangladesh’s traditional sports such as kabaddi, wrestling, bolikhela, and boat racing, and expressed strong interest in elevating these games internationally. He also proposed integrating Bangladeshi traditional sports federations as official members of the World Ethnosports Union.
In addition to sporting cooperation, Erdogan discussed his ongoing involvement in education initiatives in Türkiye and proposed launching scholarship and exchange programmes, as well as subject-based competitions, for Bangladeshi students. He also expressed interest in opening a branch of his educational institution in Bangladesh.
Recalling his earlier visit to Cox’s Bazar with his mother, Erdogan offered to support sports activities in the Rohingya refugee camps, noting that traditional games could play a valuable role in alleviating the psychological burden of displaced communities.
He reiterated Türkiye’s longstanding solidarity with the people of Bangladesh, praising the public mobilisation during the mass uprising in July 2024 and emphasising the significance of cultural identity in national resurgence. Erdogan said that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Türkiye is reclaiming its cultural dignity and working to enhance its global presence.
Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Adviser also spoke at the event, saying that the 2024 uprising had reinvigorated the country’s focus on civilisational values and deepened its ties with longstanding partners, with Türkiye being a key ally. He noted Türkiye’s historic support for the Bengal Delta region during times of crisis and welcomed stronger cooperation in areas of shared heritage and interest.
He lauded President Erdogan’s moral leadership, particularly his stance on the genocide in Gaza and advocacy for oppressed Muslim communities around the world. Asif Mahmud called for a united international response to such atrocities and assured Bangladesh’s commitment to that cause.
The Adviser urged the WEU to support the global promotion of traditional Bangladeshi games such as kabaddi, dariabandha, bolikhela, wrestling, and boat racing.
To conclude the meeting, he formally invited Bilal Erdogan to visit Bangladesh for the upcoming Global Youth Summit 2025, expressing hope that the visit would strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations across youth, sports, and broader socio-political cooperation.