National cricket team captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has been shortlisted for the Bangladesh Sports Press Association鈥檚 (BSPA) Sportsperson of the Year 2023 award alongside national team footballer Rakib Hossain and the country鈥檚 fastest man Imranur Rahman.
Shanto and Imranur have also been nominated for the Popular Choice Award 2023, alongside footballer Morsalin Ahmed and woman cricketer Fargana Hoque Pinky.
The winners of the two categories will be declared during an award ceremony scheduled to be held at a city hotel on Sunday, when a total of 18 current and former athletes, organisers, and organisations will receive the awards in 16 categories.
The other nominees in 14 categories are: Cricketer of the Year, male (Shanto), Cricketer of the Year, female (Pinky), Footballer of the Year (Rakib), Athlete of the Year (Imranur), Rising sportsperson (footballer Morsalin), Best coach of the Year (football coach Alfaz Ahmed), Best boxer (Selim Hossain), Best shooter (Kamrun nahar koly), Best table tennis player (Ramhim Lian Bawm), Best team of the Year (under-19 cricket team), Most active organisation (Directorate-of-Primary-Education), Best organiser (kabaddi organiser Habibur Rahman), Best grassroots organiser (weightlifting organiser Moazzem Hossain) and Special honorary award (Monjur Hossain Malu).
BSPA president Razwan-uz-Zaman Rajib announced the names of the nominees during a press conference on Thursday.
