Imranur Rahman, who is currently Bangladesh鈥檚 fastest man, was awarded the Sportsperson of the Year 2023 award as the Bangladesh Sports Press Association handed out awards to 18 current and former athletes, organisers and organisations in 16 categories during a ceremony at a city hotel on Friday.
Bangladesh national cricket team captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was the runner-up for in that category while footballer Rakib Hossain became second-runner-up.
Imranur, the four-time national champion and the first Bangladeshi to win a gold medal at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championship in the men鈥檚 60-metre sprint, also won the Athlete of the Year award in the track and field event category.
Shanto and Fargana Hoque Pinky were named as the best cricketer of the year in men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 category, respectively, while Rakib was named the Best Footballer of the Year award.
The country鈥檚 latest footballing sensation 鈥� Shekh Morsalin 鈥� bagged the Popular Choice Award beating three other nominees - Imranur, Shanto, and Pinky 鈥揳s the award was decided through online voting.
Morsalin also won the Emerging Sportsperson of the Year award, while Selim Hossain won the Best Boxer of the Year, Kamrun Nahar Koly won the Best Shooter of the Year, and Ramhim Lian Bawm won the Best Table Tennis Player of the Year awards.
Alfaz Ahmed - Mohammedan Sporting Club鈥檚 current football team coach and a former national team footballer, who is considered one of the country鈥檚 best strikers during his playing career 鈥� won the Best Coach of the Year award.
Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation general secretary Habibur Rahman was awarded with the Best Organiser of the Year award while weightlifting coach Moazzem Hossain won the Best Grassroots Organiser award. Sports organiser Monjur Hossain Malu received special honourary award.
Bangladesh Under-19 cricket team won the Best Team of the Year award while the Directorate of Primary Education was awarded as the Most Active Organisation.
BSPA, the country鈥檚 oldest sports journalists鈥� organisation, has been honouring sportspersons鈥� contributions through the awards since 1964, two years after its inception in 1962.
