Utshob Ahmed lit up social media from Monday, as the Bangladesh boxer accused his federation of excluding him from the government’s new athlete salary scheme, despite winning international gold in Bhutan and serving the national team for years.
The government unveiled its first structured pay system for athletes, handing 129 competitors monthly salaries and official sports cards. The move aims to professionalise sport and give struggling athletes financial stability.
But Utshob’s name never made the list. He did not stay silent. He went public and aimed straight at the federation. “The discrimination in the boxing federation still hasn’t ended. On 13 April 2025, at the 4 Nation Boxing Championship in Bhutan, I won the gold medal after beating Nepal and Bhutan. After 15 years, I brought an international gold medal back for Bangladesh.”
That claim cuts deep. Bangladesh does not produce boxing golds regularly, and when it does, recognition should follow. Instead, Utshob says the system overlooked him. “Today, on 30 March 2026, at the sports card and awards ceremony for international achievers, my name was not sent by the Bangladesh Amateur Boxing Federation. The federation sent the names of players who won silver and bronze.”
That raises a serious question about selection criteria. If accurate, it suggests inconsistency at best, bias at worst.
Utshob backed his case with experience, not emotion. “I have been playing for the Bangladesh national team for a long time, and I have performed well in all competitions, including the ASBC Asian Elite Championship 2024 in Thailand, the ASBC Asian U20 and Youth Championship 2015 in Colombo, and the 4 Nation Championship 2025 in Bhutan. I took part in all recent international events.”
Then came the central demand. “So why is my name not on today’s list? Why did the federation not include me? Why is there so much discrimination in the federation? I want answers.”
That is not just frustration. That is a direct challenge to governance. The timing matters. The government wants to reset the system and prioritise athletes outside cricket, targeting those in tougher financial conditions.
Earlier Youth and Sports State Minister Aminul Haque made that clear. “Cricketers are financially solvent. We will think about them later. For now, we want to prioritise athletes from football and other struggling sports and support those in difficult conditions.”
At the very first the ministry planned to contract with 500 athletes but it started with 129 in the first phase. According to the authorities, other athletes will soon be contracted under this salary scheme.
