Bangladesh Bank refuses ‘Ironman’ Arafat to take part in World Championship

Bangladesh's 'Ironman' Mohammad Shamsuzzaman Arafat is at a crossroads in his career.

Working in Bangladesh Bank as a Deputy Director, he is not getting permission to take part in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Finland and the Ironman World Championship in France. 

He made headlines in 2017 when he became the first Bangladeshi to finish the Ironman triathlon in Malaysia and is the first and only Bangladeshi to participate in the Ironman World Championship and Ironman 70.3 World Championship. 

The Business Standard caught up with Arafat to find out more about why he's not being given the opportunity to represent his country on an international stage and what he plans to do about it.

"I am deeply sad. I am really upset. It is hard for me to believe that I cannot bring my flag to the Ironman competitions. No one from Bangladesh qualified for this prestigious championship event previously. My office should encourage me to participate as this is a rare achievement for Bangladesh to attend the highest stage of a triathlon championship," he expressed.

But Arafat does not know why he hasn't been given permission despite him following the required procedure.

Along with the two Ironman competitions in France and Finland, Arafat also applied to take part in the Ironman Malaysia and the Berlin Marathon. 

"Actually, I don't know. I applied for permission on 20 June to participate in both world championships, the Berlin Marathon and the Ironman Malaysia. My sponsor is a foreigner so there is no involvement with our foreign currency. The Ministry of Youth and Sports also issued a government order to represent Bangladesh in all four events. But unfortunately, I did not get approval from my office," he said. 

Bangladesh Bank was contacted for an explanation via phone but refused to make any comments on the matter.

Arafat is now thinking of what to do to continue his passion while also maintaining his current job as that's his only constant source of income.

"I have been instructed not to participate in international sports events if I work for Bangladesh Bank. But you know I don't have the option to think of other options as a profession immediately. Because this is a completely new sport in Bangladesh. This is not my profession and it does not pay me. I have my family to look after. Everything I do is for the love of sports and a strong desire to bring my country a little higher in global triathlon sports and promote sports to future generations. For now, I cannot do both," he added.

For now, Arafat understands that there needs to be more infrastructural development and more awareness among people to make triathlons popular in Bangladesh. 

"Triathlon and Ironman are not popular sports in Bangladesh. We don't have any infrastructure in our country. This is not included in the National Sports Council and Bangladesh Olympic Association. There is no national triathlon sport. So people do not know about this event though it's a popular sport in the Olympics. I think our national sports council should come forward to develop world-class triathletes from Bangladesh. We have the ability and need some institutional support too."