“Be it football, cricket, the sports sector, the cultural sphere, or good governance—elections are the only means through which we can move the country forward. So let us begin a new struggle to achieve this goal,” he said as the chief guest at the inauguration of the Zia Memorial Football Tournament, organized by Thakurgaon BNP at the Thakurgaon Govt Boys' High School ground on Sunday afternoon.
Special guests at the event included BNP Dhaka North's convenor and BNP central sports affairs secretary, former Saff-winning national football team captain Aminul Haque, among others.
Fakhrul said: “For 15 years, the country was burdened under an autocratic regime. They destroyed the sports sector, the cultural field, and all institutions of the country.
“Now, under the guidance and close supervision of Tarique Zia, renowned sportsman Aminul has launched this BNP football tournament nationwide, which will continue across the country.”
The BNP leader continued: “The youth and student-led movement that shook the foundations of autocratic rule must have its positive impact spread across all sectors, including sports and culture, to benefit people's lives.”
Meanwhile, Aminul Haque said: “The previous autocratic government, like in all other sectors, politicized sports and pushed it to its lowest point. The Zia Memorial Football Tournament has been launched to revive sports from that ruin.”
He also announced the launch of the Begum Khaleda Zia Women’s Football and Cricket Tournament.
