NDUB celebrates Annual Sports Day with day-long events
Notre Dame University Bangladesh (NDUB) held its Annual Sports Day 2026 on Saturday, 7 February 2026, with students participating in a day-long programme at the university's playground.
Editor of The Daily Samakal Shahed Muhammad Ali inaugurated the event as the chief guest. In his address, he referred to Roger Bannister's four-minute mile in 1954 and said sports help break mental barriers by building confidence. He urged students to aim high and value small improvements. "When we move forward, society moves forward, and the nation moves forward," he said.
The programme began in the morning with the hoisting of the national and NDUB flags and the singing of the national anthem. Balloons, festoons and pigeons were released.
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Vice-Chancellor of NDUB Dr Fr Patrick Daniel Gaffney, CSC, delivered the welcome speech, saying education extends beyond textbooks and includes co-curricular activities. Describing sports as a social practice, he said games teach discipline, teamwork and friendly competition. "Sports are about working together, enjoying the process, and growing as responsible individuals," he said.
Students later lined up on the field as the torch was lit by Ornika Purification, last year's best athlete. The oath was taken under the guidance of the Chairman of the Department of Law, Dr Md Mustakimur Rahman, after which the competitions began.
In the afternoon, prizes were awarded to the winners. Premic Tripura and Ana Maria were named best athletes, scoring 11 and 10 points respectively.
The programme included a raffle draw and concluded with the final match of the inter-department cricket tournament between the Law and English departments. Votes of thanks were delivered by Deputy Registrar of NDUB Fr Ashim Theotonius Gonsalves, CSC, and Deputy Director of the Language Centre Fatherr Babu Paschal Sarker, CSC.
