Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has stressed that investment in children’s education and healthcare is the most crucial foundation for nation-building, issuing a message on the occasion of the “Primary School Gold Cup Football Tournament (Boys and Girls) 2026,” which begins on Saturday.
In his message, the prime minister said sports, cultural activities and creative engagement are essential alongside academic learning to develop a confident, skilled and humane generation. He described the football tournament as a positive initiative for student development.
He said the government is working to modernise the education sector under the “Sobar Agey Bangladesh” election manifesto, with plans to integrate sports such as football, cricket, chess, karate and swimming into the curriculum from Grade Four up to higher secondary level.
He added that students will take part in sports through practical sessions and assessments, which will help reduce social problems such as drug addiction and excessive use of mobile phones.
According to him, all 65,569 government primary schools have been brought under the tournament, engaging more than 99 lakh students.
He said a total of 123,974 matches have already been played nationwide, making it one of the largest football tournaments in the world.
The prime minister wished success for the tournament and expressed hope that participants would emerge as future sporting talents representing Bangladesh on the international stage.
