After the successful conclusion of the inter-upazila and inter-district phase, the curtain of the final phase of Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games 2023 is formally rising today (26 February).

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the final phase of the games as the chief guest with state-owned BTV to telecast the inaugural ceremony live which will begin at 7pm at the Bangladesh Army Stadium.

The volleyball and chess events of the Games began on Saturday, one day before the formal inauguration ceremony.

The Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) organised the Youth Games for the first time in 2018. The main motto of the Games was to select future players for national teams in various disciplines and to groom the talents of young athletes.

At the same time, the BOA also has taken initiative to ensure the regular presence of young athletes in the sports arena.

The BOA has been organising Bangladesh Games and Youth Games every four years since 2018. In the first edition Youth Games, 50,000 athletes, coaches, technical officials and sports organisers participated in 21 disciplines.

However, the number of disciplines including individual and team has been increased to 24 in the second edition.

Nearly 4,000 athletes will compete for 193 gold, 193 silver and 287 bronze medals in 193 events of 24 disciplines in the final phase.

The second edition of the Youth Games has been named after Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Earlier, the inter-upazila first phase of the games was held from January 2-10 last, and the inter-district second phase was held from 16-22 January last. Eight divisions are participating in the final phase in Dhaka.

Organised by BOA, Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games is being held in three phases under the overall direction of Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games' chief patron Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Earlier, a strong organising committee was formed making Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the chief patron to make the games a success. Headed by the premier, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, MP, as chairman, State Minister for Youth, Sports Mohammad Zahid Ahsan Russel, MP, and BOA's president and army chief General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed made co-chairmen of the games.

There is also a steering committee and thirteen sub-committees for organising the games.

On the occasion of the final phase, a torch rally was brought out from Tungipara, Gopalganj on Thursday last. BOA's president and chief of army staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed officially lit the torch of the games.

As a part of the final phase ceremony of the games, the lit torch officially travelled by road and reached BOA Bhaban after passing through different districts. BOA's secretary general Syed Shahed Reza received the torch at BOA Bhaban.

Then the torch was taken to Abahani Club and finally was brought to the army cantonment store room. The torch was taken to the inaugural venue yesterday. The country's fastest sprinter Imranur Rahman and 13th SA Games 2019 gold winner karateka Marzan Akter will light the torch in the opening ceremony.

The fastest woman in the country, Shirin Akter, will take oath on behalf of the athletes while national awardee former FIFA elite referee Tayed Hasan Shamsuzzaman will take oath for judges.

Bangladesh Associations of Bank, Saif Powertec and Walton are the sponsors of the meet.

In view of the global economic downturn, the BOA is keen on austerity in organising the games. As a result, the organizers said that the opening ceremony would be organized keeping in mind the local culture and tradition, avoiding the pomp and show.

The gates of the stadium will be opened one hour and thirty minutes before the start of the main event. The chief guest will arrive at the stadium at 7pm. The army band will perform the national anthem in start of the event which will be followed by the presentation of audiovisual content of various events of the games.

Players will take oath after entering the field. After the speeches of the guests, the chief guest Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally announce the inauguration of the games.

Two athletes, carrying the torch, will enter the ground while the audio visual display will be displayed following the lighting of the torch. As the players leave the ground, the theme song will be played.

After the display of ASPTS and Indian Homes, the event will begin with a three-minute fireworks display. Twenty-four disciplines will be held in the week-long games at various venues in the city under the supervision of their respective federations.
 
The curtain of the games will drop on March 4 with Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed expected to be present at the closing ceremony as the chief guest at Bangladesh Army Stadium.