History

Bangladesh Olympic Association, also known as National Olympic Committee of Bangladesh is the national constituent of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, BOA is responsible for organizing its people's participation in the Olympic Games. BOA was organized in 1976 and got its recognition in 1980. The organization works for development and promotion of the Olympic Movement in the country. At the same time, it provides support to the Government for the development of sport in Bangladesh, by maintaining full autonomy in line with the IOC Charter.

In Bangladesh BOA plays a major role in developing and nurturing sportsmanship, sporting events and activities related to the development of sports. BOA works closely with other government and non government organization while retaining its autonomous identity. BOA maintains cooperative relationship with governmental and non-governmental organization in order to best benefit the sports of Bangladesh. In short BOA strives to improve the quality of sports in Bangladesh while spread the values Olympism. It has so far affiliated a total of 27 National Federations (NF) and National Associations (NA) that includes both Olympic and non-Olympic sports. Bangladesh is the breeding ground of amateur sporting clubs. National Teams of various sport are selected from the inter club competition and from the National Meet of the respective sport.

OUR SPORTS

Tradition, culture and passion weaved the history of Bangladesh sports. Football was the mainstream sport before the independence of Bangladesh. In reality, most of the sporting events used to be held in the West Pakistan.

Before the independence, a swimmer of this hot reverine region, Brojen Das, created world record in 1958 by crossing the ice cold English Channel. This Bengali swimmer of the erstwhile East Pakistan crossed the channel more than once in record time and introduced the Bengali people to the world of sport. During the liberation war, the Swadhin (independent) Bangla Football Team helped popularize the cause of our freedom movement. Another legendary swimmer created record by being afloat for 72 hours at a stretch in a Calcutta pond to draw attention of the entire world to the cause of Bangladesh's independence. Through sports the message of the Liberation War of Bangladesh quickly drew attention of the international community.

Just after independence, under patronization of Bangladesh's first Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Muzibur Rahman, Bangladesh Government established Football, Hockey, Gymnastics, Athletics, Swimming, Boxing Federation and Bangladesh Women Sports Control Board in 1972.

Boxer Abdul Halim earned the first International success winning bronze in Asian Youth Boxing Championship in 1977 followed by Rani Hamid winning title of British Women Chess Championship in 1983. Though not an Olympic discipline, Cricket is now the most popular sport in Bangladesh. Football, from the very beginning, caught the imagination of Bangladeshi people. Presently, sports like Hockey, Shooting, Athletics, Volleyball, Handball, Kabaddi, Basketball, Badminton, Table Tennis have earned significant degrees of popularity. Of late Archery, Golf, Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, Roller Skating, Fencing, Equestrian and Squash have added a new dimension to our sports. Surfing also makes its identity in our sporting scenario.

National Sports Council (NSC) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports are tasked to develop sports, establishing, renovating and maintaining the physical infrastructures of games and sports in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh was first invited to the Olympics in 1976.

It is a national pride that two Bangladeshi Mountaineers conquered the highest peak of the world, The Mount Everest of the Himalayas in 2010 and 2011. While a Bangladeshi cyclist is on a World Tour on bicycle to spread the slogan - Paddling for Planet - with the message of combating HIV AIDS and Save Environment & Save Earth.

SIGNIFICANT ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS

Some of the glimpses of success that BOA has achieved are stated below:

• Employment of professionals in the office management.
• Prepared Financial and Service rules for BOA office management staff
• Introduced structured organogram for the management system in 2007.
• Affiliating different Financial Institutions and corporate houses with the National Federations as sponsors to ensure strong financial support in 2008.
• Reorganized various committees with addition of new sub committees
• Launched scholarship program for the existing and potential athletes in 2011.
• Ran capacity building program of the coaches through Training of the Trainers program
• Receiving proper attention and funding from the Government and other stakeholders
• Trained almost 50 members of BOA medical team on Anti Doping.
• Trained and enhanced administrative capability of District and Divisional Sports Associations.
• Establishment of National Olympic Academy (NOA) as well as construction of physical structure of Archive, Library and Museum (ALM) at the Olympic Bhaban.
• Plantation of saplings around the sports venues and educational institutions utilizing volunteers of 11th South Asian Games held in 2010.