The ceremony was attended by the Secretary General of the Olympic Association Zobaidur Rahman Rana, Vice President of the Association Major (Retd.) Imroz Ahmed, and prominent businessman and sports organizer Abdul Hai Sarkar, along with the presidents and general secretaries of various sports federations.
Pradip Shil : Bangladesh has embarked on a journey towards the dream of a modern sporting arena through the sincere efforts of the President of the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) and Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-Uz-Zaman. The mission to fulfill the dreams of athletes has officially commenced with the laying of the foundation stone for the sports complex.
On Sunday (February 1, 2026), the BOA President and Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman laid the foundation stone of the Olympic Complex in Trishal, Mymensingh. Located 86 kilometers from the capital Dhaka and 26 kilometers from Mymensingh city, the complex is situated on 173.2 acres of land. Additionally, the Army has purchased another 9 acres of land with its own funds to facilitate access to the complex.
The ceremony was attended by the Secretary General of the Olympic Association Zobaidur Rahman Rana, Vice President of the Association Major (Retd.) Imroz Ahmed, and prominent businessman and sports organizer Abdul Hai Sarkar, along with the presidents and general secretaries of various sports federations.
Project Director Colonel Md Kutubuddin Khan presented the master plan, which includes three indoor stadiums, football, hockey, tennis, athletics, residential areas, a media center, parking, and shooting facilities. The complex will accommodate 33 sports disciplines. Cricket, golf, and rowing are initially excluded, though the BOA president expressed interest in adding cricket, which may lead to adjustments in the plan.
Construction will be supervised by the Army’s 24th Brigade, with local firm Vitti collaborating with the American company DLA, known for building major international stadiums. Vitti’s founder, Iqbal Habib, explained, “We lack experience in indoor stadiums, so foreign consultants were engaged.”
While the foundation has been laid, full-scale construction awaits funding. General Waker-Uz-Zaman said, “Everything is ready; the only barrier is finance. Support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Gulf countries, and the International Olympic Committee will help us complete the complex.”
The Ministry’s Secretary, Mahbub Ul Alam, assured legal and administrative support, while BOA Vice-President Abdul Hai Sarker confirmed financial backing from banks.
Iqbal Habib estimated that the first phase, including one indoor stadium and land development, will cost around Tk2,000 crore and take 2–2.5 years to complete. Completing the full master plan could require Tk34,000–38,000 crore and five–six years if fully prioritised by the government.
Although built on army land, the BOA will manage the complex. International and national tournaments will be hosted, with the army using it for training during other times. A memorandum of understanding between the army and BOA will be signed soon.
