The National Sports Council (NSC) has dissolved three sports associations: the Kite Association, the Para Archery Association, and the Kyokushin Karate Association.
This decision, enacted under the authority of the National Sports Council Act 2018, reduces the number of federations and associations under the NSC from 55 to 52. The dissolved bodies have not been entirely abandoned; rather, their functions and responsibilities have been merged with existing federations. The Para Archery Association has been integrated into the Bangladesh Archery Federation, the Kyokushin Karate Association into the Bangladesh Karate Federation, and the Kite Association into the Bangladesh Country Games Association.
This reform comes against a backdrop of criticism regarding the proliferation of federations and associations, often established under political or personal influence. While some of these associations represented niche or emerging sports, others, like the Kite Association, had long-standing recognition but limited visibility or activity in recent years. Despite the popularity of kite festivals in the country, the association’s presence in the sporting landscape had diminished significantly.
Currently, the NSC is in the process of forming ad-hoc committees for all sports bodies except those for football and cricket. Committees have already been formed for 47 federations and associations, while three remain pending, including the Bangladesh Shooting Sport Federation and the Women’s Sports Association.
