Exim Bank 26th National Men's Handball Championship got underway yesterday at the Shaheed Mansur Ali National Stadium in Paltan with 33 teams participating.

Defending champions Kushtia defeated Chapainawabganj 19-15 in the opening game after Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury declared the meet open. 

In the day's other matches across three different venues, Comilla, Faridpur, Panchagarh, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Sunamganj, Joypurhat, Gopalganj, Madaripur, Bagerhat, Jessore, Chuadanga, Meherpur and Bandarban notched victories.