PM announces reward of Tk 2cr for Tigers

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today announced to give Tk 2 crore to Bangladesh cricket team for their outstanding performance in the recent World Cup and thrashing Pakistan in the ODI series and outplaying them also in the lone T20 match.

"Taka one crore for the excellent performance in the World Cu, while Taka another crore for the Banglawash of the Pakistan cricket team in the ODI series and defeating them in the lone T20 match," announced Hasina, a diehard cricket fan.

The announcement came at a reception she accorded to the Bangladesh cricket team at PM's official residence Ganabhban.

She also announced to provide a car for each player who does not have had any such reward from the government by the time and provide accommodation for all of them. "I've asked the officials concerned to look for a good place and we'll construct a building there and provide the players with flats," Hasina said.

Bangladesh qualified for the quarterfinals in the Cricket World Cup 2015 for the first time in the World Cup history, earning appreciations from all quarters.

Besides, Bangladesh clinched the one day international (ODI) series defeating touring Pakistan cricket team by 3-0. 'Banglawash' is referred to a whitewash in cricket by Bangladeshis.

The home team also outplayed Pakistan by seven wickets in the only T20, too. All these matches were played at Sher-E-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.

Speaking at the reception, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina termed the cricket players the 'golden boys' of Bangladesh. "You're the golden boys of the country and we all proud of you," she said adding that each player of the Bangladesh team is like Bengal Tiger.

She highly praised the performance of the Bangladesh team in the World Cup and in the ongoing series against touring Pakistan.

"We've won the ODI series and T20 against Pakistan, Inshallah, we'll win the upcoming Test match against Pakistan," she told the cricketers.

Hasina asked the players to play their due role. "Win and loss are part of the game, if you play well you must win, no doubt about it."

She also expressed the high hope to clinch the World Cup one day if the players of the team play like this way. "You must keep the trust and confidence in yourselves, you have to think that if anyone else can do you can also do that," she said adding this confidence is no there among the players of the team.

The Prime Minister hoped that the Bangladesh team would play well in the upcoming matches with India, Australia, South Africa and West Indies. These teams have schedules to be here in Bangladesh this year.

Describing the three characteristics of the cricket game -- Test, One Day and T20, Hasina said there should be three batting sides for these three games.

"These three types are very much different considering the batting style, so we have to prepare three batting panels for these three different ball games… and these sides will have to be given special trainings for improving their batting skills," she said.

As part of the development of sports in the country, the Prime Minister said, the government will build another stadium in the city keeping all modern facilities, including removable pitch like in Australia.

She said there will be another big stadium in the Cox's Bazar.

After the construction of the Padma Bridge, Hasina said, the government has a plan to construct an Olympic Village on the other side of the bridge where there will be a modern cricket stadium, too.

Laying emphasis on attracting the youth to sports, she said the government has started constructing stadiums in all districts, and there will be a mini stadium in all upazila also for the development of all sorts of sports in the country.