'Tata's relation with BOA long lasting one'

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Resident Director of Tata Group S Manzer Hussain Sunday said the relationship between the Indian industrial giant and Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) is a long-lasting one, reports UNB.
He made the remark at a function where the nine-member Bangladesh team shared their experience in front of the media Sunday afternoon, after returning from a successful month-long camp at the Tata Sports Academy in Jamshedpur, India.
The Bangladesh team comprising three athletes, four boxers and two coaches returned home Friday.
The Tata representative said that after signing an MoU with the BOA on September 3 last year, they had done whatever they could for the betterment of sports in Bangladesh.
"Our aim is to promote, increase and improve the standard of sports and to build up a good relationship," he said adding that an 18-member Bangladesh team comprising archers, boxers and athletes earlier took higher training at the Tata Sports Academy in Jamshedpur November last.
Manzer Hussain assured the BOA high-ups that the Tata Sports Academy had good facilities for football, archery and athletics and it was ready to share these facilities with Bangladesh.
Responding to a request by the Bangladesh team members for increasing the duration of the training programme, he said the duration of training is not a problem, but it should be planned by the BOA.
BOA Secretary General Kutubuddin Ahmed, who presided over the function, said as part of Tata's assistance to BOA, they plan to send the Bangladesh Under-15 football team to Tata Sports Academy for training next month.
Former national athlete Golam Ambia, who accompanied the nine-member Bangladesh team as coach, shared his experience saying that they received high standard of training, accommodation and food during their stay at the Tata Academy.
Boxing coach Kazi Shahadat Hossain said that they had a successful training, but it would be even better if the duration of the training programme was increased to 6/7 months.
Boxer Mahmud Ali Mithu said participation in national and international competitions after taking such training is now important for them.
"We'll be able to evaluate our performance through such participation", he added.
BOA Vice-president Mizanur Rahman, Chief Operating Officer M Wali Ullah and members of the executive committee were, among others, present at the function.