The First South Asian Special Olympics 5-a-side Football Tournament was inaugurated yesterday at the Army Stadium with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declaring the five-team tournament open as chief guest.

Bangladesh-A and India-A were supposed to play the opening match but it could not be held due to malfunctioning floodlights, informed national director of Special Olympics Faruqul Islam yesterday.

Islam also informed that Nepal, one of the participating teams, pulled out of the tournament citing the political instability in Nepal and that the tournament will have five teams -- two each from Bangladesh and India and one team from Pakistan.

“The senior teams from Bangladesh and India will play best of three games while the junior teams from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan will play in another group and both groups will have separate champions,” said Faruqul adding that the tournament will end today at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan.

BSS adds: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also announced that a special sports complex would be built in the country to create facilities for intellectually challenged persons to train and practise for sports events.

The complex will identify the intellectually handicapped persons, evaluate their position in society and make arrangements for their vocational education and rehabilitation as well as provide training and practice facilities, she said.

"I have come here to enjoy your game. Your slogan- 'We can also do it' inspires us. So I have come here today to express my solidarity with you," the Prime Minister said while addressing participants of the South Asian countries.

Minister for Social Welfare Enamul Haque Mostafa Shahid, President of Bangladesh Olympic Association and Chief of Army Staff General Md. Abdul Mubeen, chairman of Special Olympics Dr Shamim Matin Chowdhury, and founder chairman of Special Olympics Ashraf Dowla were among others who spoke on the occasion.