Bangladesh is set to enter a new era in sports with the construction of the country’s largest sports facility, the Olympic Complex, in Trishal of Mymensingh district, located 86 kilometres from the capital Dhaka. The Olympic Complex will be built on 173.6 acres of land, marking a major milestone in the development of the nation’s sports infrastructure.

On Sunday (1 February), the foundation stone of the proposed complex was laid at the Trishal military training area by Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) President and Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-Uz-Zaman. The ceremony was attended by the Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Md Mahbub-ul-Alam, as a special guest.

With the laying of the foundation stone, Bangladesh officially steps into a new era in its sporting landscape. Initiated by the BOA, this will be the largest sports complex ever built in the country, spanning 173.6 acres.

The Olympic Complex will be located 86 kilometres from Dhaka and 26 kilometres from Mymensingh city, making it the largest sports facility in Bangladesh. To ensure smooth access to the complex, the Bangladesh Army has additionally purchased 9 acres of land using its own funds.

During the foundation stone-laying ceremony, Project Director Colonel Md Qutubuddin Khan presented the master plan of the complex. The plan outlines a fully integrated Olympic Complex with both indoor and outdoor facilities.

According to the master plan, the complex will feature three indoor venues along with infrastructure for football, hockey, tennis, athletics, handball, volleyball and several other sports. Residential facilities, a media centre and parking facilities are also included. In total, the complex will be capable of hosting competitions in 33 different sports.

Although cricket, golf and rowing are not included in the initial plan, BOA President expressed interest in incorporating cricket in the future, given its popularity in Bangladesh. As a result, changes to the master plan remain a possibility.

Construction of the country’s first Olympic Complex is being supervised by the Bangladesh Army’s 24 Brigade. While local firm Bhitti is involved in the engineering work, the US-based firm DLA has been engaged as a consultant for the indoor stadium construction, considering its expertise and experience.