DHAKA: The Asian Tour, the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia, is going to stage an international professional golf tournament in Dhaka for the first time from May 27-30.

The Bashundhara Bangladesh Open 2015 will kick-off on May 27, with renowned golfer Siddikur Rahman headlining the tournament on home soil.

Country’s renowned industrial conglomerate Bashundhara Group is the title sponsor of the competition of 3 lakh USD prize money.

The tournament will be organised under direct supervision of Bangladesh Golf Federation.

In this connection the Golf Federation of Bangladesh and Bashundhara Group on April 7 signed a three-year contract.

Brigadier General Mohammad Abul Fazl M. Sanaullah, Secretary General of Bangladesh Golf Federation and Safwan Sobhan, Additional Managing Director of Bashundhara Group signed the agreement on their respective sides.

The signing ceremony, held at the banquet hall of Kurmitola Golf Club, was graced with the presence of Bashundhara Group’s Deputy Managing Director Mostafizur Rahman, Advisors Moynal Hossain Chowdhury, Major General (Retd) Mahbub Haider Khan, Mohammad Abu Tayeb and Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Khandaker Abdul Wahed.

On behalf of Golf Federation its Senior Vice President Major General Mizanur Rahman Khan and Junior Golf President Major General Muhammad Masud Razzak were also present.

During the signing ceremony Brigadier General Mohammad Abul Fazl M Sanaullah mentioned Safwan Sobhan, Additional Managing Director of Bashundhara Group, as the key initiator of the tournament and thanked him.

Bangladesh golf is going to put one step forward through the competition, he opined.

Professional golfers from several countries, specially the Asian countries, will participate in the competition.  The event will take the image of the country to new heights in world of sports, he added.

The tournament will create huge opportunity for investment in various sectors, including sports, tourism and businesses, said Abul Fazl.

150 foreigners including professional golfers, officials, referees, organizers and media persons will visit Bangladesh on the occasion of the competition.

The Federation also informed that, after the formation of the Asian Tour, the first event of this kind was organized in 1995. The Asian Tour has already arranged 21 events in the countries of Asia and Oceania.

Bashundhara Bangladesh Open 2015, starting from the last week of May, will be the 22nd competition.

From Bangladesh, Siddiqur Rahman and one or two more professional golfers got scope to participate in such competitions (Asian Tour event). Bangladeshi golfers have to participate in the international qualifying events to compete this competition.

However, according to the Bangladesh Golf Federation, as this time Bangladesh is the event organizer, almost 30 rising professional golfers of the country will have the opportunity to participate directly in the main episode.

This is going to be a great achievement of Bangladesh, said Brigadier General Mohammad Abul Fazl M Sanaullah.

BDST: 2009 HRS, APR 24, 2015
RS