(BSS)—The Ministry of Youth and Sports has decided in principle to provide special transport, healthcare and insurance facilities to national-level athletes holding sports cards, State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque said today.

The decisions were taken at a review meeting held at the conference room of the Ministry of Youth and Sports today under the theme “Sports as a profession, family as a support.”

Aminul Haque attended the meeting as the chief guest.

The proposed facilities include discounted fares on public transport, special healthcare support, life insurance and risk insurance coverage for sports card holders, according to the ministry.

Officials from Bangladesh Railways, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) and the insurance sector took part in discussions on implementing the proposed benefits.

The ministry said discussions were held on providing discounted fares for sports card holders on both government and private public transport services. It also said steps were being expedited to bring athletes under special healthcare, life insurance and risk insurance schemes to help cover sports-related injuries, costly medical treatment and other life risks.

The sports card and allowance programme was launched to promote sports as a potential career for young people and provide institutional recognition to athletes, the ministry said.

Under the programme, 325 selected national athletes from different sporting disciplines have so far been brought under the sports card system, while 300 of them are initially receiving regular sports allowances, according to the ministry.

The ministry said the sports card is being developed as more than an identity document, with an integrated framework intended to provide athletes with various state and institutional facilities.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Youth and Sports Secretary Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam, Bangladesh Railways Director General Md. Afzal Hossain, BIWTA Member Md. Moazzem Hossain, DMTCL Director Md. Aminur Rahman, Jibon Bima Corporation General Manager Abu Naim Md. Maruf Khan, Bangladesh Shipping Owners Association Director General Sidduqur Rahman Patwari and representatives of the transport sector.