PM inaugurates Notun Kuri Sports

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday officially launched Notun Kuri Sports at Sylhet District Stadium, reviving the iconic Notun Kuri brand in a new format aimed at discovering young sporting talent across the country.

The inauguration, held before a packed stadium with performances by child athletes and attended virtually by participants at district stadiums nationwide, marks the formal start of a government-backed talent hunt for boys and girls aged 12 to 14.

Rahman arrived at the stadium at 3:40 pm and formally opened the competition at 5:08 pm. Originally launched in 1976 as a Bangladesh Television platform to identify young artistic talent, Notun Kuri became a household name in the 1980s. It has now returned as Notun Kuri Sports, shifting from the cultural stage to the playing field.

Thirty-two of the country’s top athletes from different disciplines, including cricket, football and kabaddi, joined the initiative as brand ambassadors to inspire the next generation.

Government officials say the programme is part of the ruling BNP administration’s election pledge to establish sports as a viable profession. They also highlighted recent steps such as the introduction of sports cards and athlete allowances to provide financial support to players.

Youth and Sports State Minister Aminul Haque told reporters in Sylhet that the prime minister had personally instructed that the programme be launched outside Dhaka, breaking with the usual practice of beginning major initiatives in the capital.

The competition will cover eight popular events and begin at the upazila level, with winners advancing through district and divisional rounds before reaching the national stage.

The country has been divided into 10 competition regions: Dhaka, Faridpur, Chattogram, Cumilla, Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Mymensingh. Knockout formats will be used in football, cricket, kabaddi and badminton, while chess will follow the Swiss league system.

Athletics, swimming and martial arts will be decided through heats or knockout rounds and finals. Each participant may compete in up to two events.

Despite a short registration window from April 12 to 26, the programme drew 167,693 registrations nationwide, including 120,949 boys and 46,744 girls. Dhaka recorded the highest number of registrations with 25,387, while Mymensingh had the lowest at 7,966.

Officials said the regional phase is scheduled to conclude between May 13 and 22, with oversight committees at every stage to ensure that talent from across the country is properly identified and evaluated.