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On my recent visit to Bangladesh as manager-cum-coach of the Customs Cricket Academy team, I had the privilege of visiting the Bangladesh Institute of Sports (BKSP), a wonderful institution situated some 45km from Dhaka which is contributing remarkably in the development of athletes from different sports on modern scientific lines.
To say that I was impressed with the institute's working will be an understatement. In fact, I was completely bowled over by it and wondered why we in Pakistan could not raise such an institution in 63 years of existence.
The BKSP is an autonomous organisation that functions directly under the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The institute has four district wings including training wing, administrative wing, Sports-science wing and the Academic wing.
There's a director general who manages the institute which boasts five regional set-ups in Dinajpur, Chittagong, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet respectively. Furthermore, it has superb accommodation, food and transportation facilities available in the premises which makes it a complete package for the athletes undergoing training programme here.
During our 10-day stay in BKSP, we played five matches including a two-day game, a couple of one-dayers besides two T20 matches.
Although the tour was not a great success in terms of winning matches, it was a great learning experience indeed.
Each year, the BKSP selects raw talent for ten disciplines including athletics, boxing, cricket, football, gymnastics, hockey, swimming, tennis, volleyball and basketball. The selected athletes, mainly from ages 14 to 18, then get their training and grooming under a well thought out, smoothly organised training programme.
Education is, of course, essential besides the sports at the BKSP. The infrastructure is available for all the disciplines and the training is imparted by competent, qualified people including coaches and teachers.
A full day activity for all sports begins at 6.30am and ends at 6.30pm and encompasses training, school education, free time and homework periods.
Discipline at BKSP is definitely the key to their success. BKSP Director General Brig Gen M. Sulaheen is without any doubt the driving force behind the success of this institution.
Meeting Sulaheen was in itself a great experience since he is one very optimistic and humble individual with a positive approach about everything. Although he is a serving brigadier general, he comes across as a very simple, dedicated person.
Needless to say, cricket remains the most popular of all ten disciplines. The BKSP have produced a number of front-ranking national cricketers including Mushfiqur Rahman, Shakib-Al Hasan, Raquibul Hasan and Abdur Razzak as well as prominent national players in other sports as well.
Their training programme is based on sports science which includes techniques, psychology and game sense. I was surprised to see that all these facilities are available under one roof at the BKSP and sports scientists are coordinating with the coaches for the development of the players for the future.
The BKSP's tremendous success seems to be the result of sound infrastructure, well-oiled system, competent staff and the will to improve sporting standards in the country. I sincerely advise the Sports Ministry in Pakistan to take a leaf out of the Bangladesh sports and raise a similar type of institution for the benefit of thousands of talented Pakistani sportsmen and women who are waiting out there to shine.
The writer is a former Pakistan fast bowler and qualified cricket coach.
