With the malfunctioning electronic scoreboard at the centre of discussion, the 33rd edition of the National Swimming, Diving, and Water Polo Competition begins at the Syed Nazrul Islam National Swimming Complex in the city on Saturday.聽
Nearly 550 swimmers from 52 teams, including Divisional and District Sports Associations, Swimming Club, Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Prothistan, Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Ansar, and Border Guard Bangladesh, will compete in the four-day meet, sponsored by Max Group.
The results will be measured by hand timing, with the swimmers competing in two equal halves, with 19 men鈥檚 and 19 women鈥檚 teams, but no women鈥檚 diving or water polo teams.
The existing electronic scoreboard, which was not properly erected at the venue despite the National Sports Council spending Tk 5 crore in 2019, has never been used in a tournament due to its flaws.聽
鈥榃e have to run this competition under hand timing,鈥� said Bangladesh Swimming Federation acting general secretary Salim Miah in the press conference at the Bangladesh Olympic Association auditorium on Thursday.聽
鈥榃e had talks on this issue [the electronic scoreboard] with the sports advisor and sent a letter to the NSC secretary. But we don鈥檛 see any solution soon,鈥� he added.聽
However, Salim took charges against the federation, secretary MB Saif is on the run after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5 following the student-mass uprising.聽
Bangladesh Swimming Federation vice-president and Max Group chairman Ghulam Mohammed Alomgir is expected to inaugurate the competition as the chief guest.聽