BSPA selects Shakib as greatest sportsperson in Bangladesh's history
At a hotel in the capital on Friday, the State Minister for Youth and Sports of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Jahid Ahsan Russell presented the award to Shakib Al Hasan at a ceremony organised on the occasion of BSPA's 60th anniversary.
Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA), the oldest organisation of sports journalists and writers of the country, has selected Shakib Al Hasan as the best athlete in the history of Bangladesh.
At a hotel in the capital on Friday, the State Minister for Youth and Sports of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Jahid Ahsan Russell presented the award to Shakib Al Hasan at a ceremony organised on the occasion of BSPA's 60th anniversary.
Bashundhara Kings President Imrul Hasan and AIPS Asia President Hee-Dong-Jung were present as well.
The ceremony, which started at 5 pm, was preceded by a one-minute silence on the occasion of the passing away of the king of football Pele. In the event, the names of the ten best athletes in the sports history of Bangladesh were announced and the mementos and monetary awards were handed over to the athletes or their family members.
The top ten sportspersons were selected based on domestic and international success and popularity by an independent jury.
After the selection analysis process, the judges finally selected the top ten athletes of Bangladesh.
In order, the top 10 athletes nominated are golfer Siddikur Rahman (10th), swimmer Mosharraf Hossain Khan (9th), sprinter Shah Alam (8th), shooter Asif Hossain Khan (7th), cricketer Mashrafe Mortaza (6th), boxer Mosharraf Hossain ( 5th), footballer Monem Munna (4th), chess player Niaz Morshed (3rd), footballer Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin (2nd) and Shakib Al Hasan (1st).
Shakib and the other winners won a trophy and cash prize of BDT 1 lakh for each winner.
At the same time, 10 sports journalists and writers were awarded the Diamond Jubilee Award in recognition of their special contribution to sports journalism in the country.
The honored journalists are late Abdul Hamid, late Tawfiq Aziz Khan, late Badi-uz-Zaman, Muhammad Kamruzzaman, Abdul Tauhid, late Ataul Haque Mallik, Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, Dilu Khandkar, Shahidul Azam and Mustafa Mamun.
Apart from this, a special award was given to "Joy Bangla" bat hero, former BSPA president and former captain of the national cricket team, freedom fighter ASM Rakibul Hasan.