IUB squash players Md. Raihan and Marjan Akter Monika have clinched the Champion and Runner-up positions in Men’s Open (university) and Female Open categories respectively in the 4th Bangladesh National Squash Championship 2024.
The tournament, organized by Bangladesh Squash Rackets Federation (BSRF) and sponsored by Turaag Active and Urmi Group, was held from April 23-27, 2024 at three venues including Army Squash Complex, Station Officers Mess Alpha and The American Club in Dhaka.
Raihan, a first-semester student of Management Information Systems (MIS) who joined IUB in the Summer 2024 semester with a 100% sports scholarship, emerged victorious in the Male Open (university) category, while Marjan Akter Monika, Assistant Coach and player of the IUB Squash team, secured the runner-up position in the Female Open category.
Raihan, hailing from Khulna, secured the top spot in his category by defeating Rafi Chowdhury from Chittagong University with an impressive 3-0 margin. In the earlier rounds, he defeated players from the Bangladesh Army; Institute of Business Administration (IBA) University of Dhaka; and Bangladesh University of Professionals.
Originally from Cumilla, Marjan claimed the runner-up position in a fiercely contested category. She has a national ranking of 2 and has experience of participating in international competitions before.
The championship featured a total of 190 players from 26 clubs and institutions, including representatives from the Bangladesh Army and Navy. Players were divided into eleven groups, comprising 99 male and 58 female participants selected from the regional rounds.
The prize-giving ceremony was held on April 27, 2024 at the Army Squash Complex. Lt. Col. Muhammad Faruk Khan (retd.), MP, Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism and President of Bangladesh Squash Rackets Federation; and Mr. Nazmul Hassan, MP, Minister for Youth and Sports and President of Bangladesh Cricket Board, handed over the prizes to the winners.
In addition to the champions and runners-up recognitions, nine female players received Education and Squash Scholarships, while 20 players from underprivileged backgrounds were provided with sports equipment.