Youth and Sports State Minister Aminul Haque has announced plans to build sports villages across all 64 districts of Bangladesh, with construction on the first 10 set to begin this year, as he opened the First Division Badminton League 2026 at the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium in Paltan, Dhaka, on Friday.
The minister also called on the Bangladesh Badminton Federation to appoint a foreign coach on a two-year contract to raise the standard of the sport nationally, pledging full government support for the initiative.
Aminul outlined an ambitious vision for grassroots sporting development, with the planned sports villages designed to include state-of-the-art indoor stadium facilities. The first 10 will break ground before the end of 2026, with the remaining 54 to follow in subsequent years.
“The current government is giving equal importance to all sports, both indoor and outdoor, to take Bangladesh’s sporting landscape to new heights,” he said. “Unlike previous governments which focused on only one or two sports, we are committed to developing all disciplines equally.”
As part of that commitment, 300 athletes from 28 different federations have already been brought under a monthly salary structure of 100,000 taka each, a move designed to encourage professionalism and long-term commitment across multiple sports.
Badminton is one of the most widely played sports in Bangladesh, particularly during winter when it can be seen being played on streets and in alleyways across the country. Yet despite regular national championships, the sport has struggled to make an impact at international level due to a lack of quality coaching, inadequate long-term training programmes and limited exposure to overseas competition.
Aminul experienced the conditions at the indoor stadium firsthand on Friday. Spending over an hour inside the venue, he was visibly uncomfortable in the heat due to a weak air conditioning system and electrical problems. He did not shy away from the issue.
“The problems with the air conditioning and electricity will be resolved quickly. The necessary instructions have already been given,” he said.
Following a request from the Badminton Federation, he directed officials to air-condition the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium as soon as possible and urged the federation to move quickly on appointing a foreign coach.
“For the development of badminton, a quality coach needs to be appointed on a two-year basis. The necessary support will be provided for this,” he said.
The minister also highlighted the government’s Naton Kuri Sports programme, launched in May last year, which covers eight sporting disciplines across all divisions of the country. Badminton has been included in the programme, which is intended to identify and develop talented players from the grassroots level upwards.
The First Division Badminton League has not been held for several years, making Friday’s opening a significant moment for the sport’s competitive calendar. While national championships have continued regularly, the return of a league format is expected to provide more competitive opportunities for players across the country.
Present at the opening alongside the minister were Badminton Federation member and Member of Parliament Kamruzzaman Ratan, officials from the Olympic Association and representatives from several other federations.
After the badminton opening, Aminul also inaugurated the Independence Day Age-Group Roller Skating Heat 2026 at the nearby roller skating ground.
