A grand running festival titled “Raninagar 10 KM” (Season-2) was held in Raninagar upazila of Naogaon on Saturday, aiming to keep youth away from drugs and inspire a health-conscious, sports-oriented lifestyle.
The event, organised by Raninagar Youth Development Organisation (RAYDO) on the Raninagar-Sahagola regional highway, saw participation from 700 professional and amateur runners from approximately 35 districts, including the capital Dhaka.
The competition featured four categories: 10km general, 5km male beginner, 5km female, and 1km kids. The event began at 6am, followed by breakfast for participants and a prize distribution ceremony at 8am.
In the 10 km general category, the champion received Tk5,000, with prizes of Tk4,000, Tk3,000, Tk1,500, and Tk1,000 for the next four runners-up. The top 10 runners received special crests.
In the 5km male and female categories, champions received Tk3,000 each, while first and second runners-up received Tk2,000 and Tk1,000 respectively. The 40 children in the kids’ category received participation crests.
Chief guest SM Rezaul Islam Rezu, MP for Naogaon-6 (Raninagar-Atrai), distributed prizes to the winners. He said there is no alternative to sports to engage young people in healthy and creative activities.
“Such events play an important role in keeping the youth away from drugs, terrorism, and social decay,” he said, thanking the organisers and calling for continuation of such initiatives.
The event was presided over by RAYDO founder and chief coordinator Md Rumon Hossain, with Raninagar Upazila Executive Officer Md Rakibul Hasan as chief patron.
Rumon Hossain said, “Raninagar 10 KM is no longer just a running competition; it has become a national platform uniting health awareness, harmony, and the power of youth.” He announced plans to continue the event on an even larger scale.
Raninagar UNO Md Rakibul Hasan said the vibrant participation of runners from across the country has established Raninagar as one of the most attractive destinations for Bangladesh’s running community, pledging continued administrative support for future events.
Special guests included Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Nabila Yasmin, Raninagar Police Station OC Md Zakaria Mondal, upazila BNP leaders, and other officials.
