RANGPUR, – The Mujib Year Sheikh Kamal Teesta (46km) Swimming Competition- 2021 held on Saturday entertained thousands of people of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts. Rangpur district administration and District Sports Office jointly organised the competition from the Teesta Barrage Project (TBP) point in Nilphamari to the Sheikh Hasina Teesta Bridge at Mohipur Bazar point in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur.
A total of fifteen male and female swimmers from across the country took part in the 46-kilometre long swimming event arranged marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. At the end of the competition, a closing ceremony cum certificate handing over function was organised at Mohipur Bazar in Laksmitari union of Gangachara upazila in Rangpur at 4 pm.
Swimmer Rabbi Rahman, a class ten student from Bogra, finished first taking five hours 38 minutes 26 seconds in reaching the finishing Mohipur point in Rangpur after swimming 46 km in river Teesta. Swimmer Saiful Islam Russell of Barguna district became second taking five hours 50 minutes and 50 seconds and Mitu Akhter, a female swimmer from Bogura, became third taking six hours one minute 36 seconds in reaching the finishing point. The swimmers were greeted by thousands of swimming-lover people on both sides of the river Teesta from the starting TBP point in Dimla upazila of Nilphamari (opposite to Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirhat) to the finishing Mohipur point in Rangpur.
Mashiur Rahman Ranga, Member of Parliament for Rangpur-1 constituency, handed over prizes, certificates and mementos to the winners as well as all participating swimmers at the closing ceremony as the chief guest. Presided over by Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur Md Asib Ahsan, Gangachara Upazila Parishad Chairman Ruhul Amin, Gangachara Upazila Nirbahi Officer Taslima Begum and General Secretary of Rangpur District Sports Association Advocate Anwarul Islam were present as special guests.
Earlier, Chief Executive Officer of Rangpur City Corporation Ruhul Amin Miah inaugurated the competition at the TBP point at 8:30 am as chief guest with Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) of Rangpur Golam Rabbani in the chair.
