Bangladeshi golf star Siddikur Rahman believes next week’s Bashundhara Bangladesh Open will present the opportunity for him to fight for a place in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The two-time Asian Tour winner is currently ranked 59th – one rung above the cut-off place – in the current Olympic qualifying rankings but he knows a dream victory at home in the US$300,000 event will give his hopes a huge lift. The slightly-built Siddikur will headline the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open, which is one of five new events on the Asian Tour this year, alongside local hopes Zamal Hossain Mollah and S. H. Sohel at the Kurmitola Golf Club from May 27-30. Hailed as one of his nation’s sporting icons where he is the first Bangladeshi to win on the region’s premier Tour, Siddikur has also represented his country in the World Cup of Golf in 2013. Winning his home Open is the immediate goal but walking with the rest of the Bangladeshi Olympians in the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro next year will be one of the ultimate joys for him. “It is my dream to play in the Olympics. If I can maintain this position, then I will add another milestone in my career. “With the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open, other Bangladeshi golfers might have a chance to play their way into the Asian Tour and the Olympics as well. This new tournament opens up a lot of opportunities,” said Siddikur. He will line-up against the leading Asian Tour stars including Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, who holds an unprecedented 18 Asian Tour titles, Singapore’s veteran Mardan Mamat and rising Indian star Rashid Khan. With golf gaining popularity in the cricket-loving nation, Siddikur is excited to showcase the depth and strength of the local golfers in his National Open. “A lot of positive things will come out from this new event. It is a great opportunity for me and the other Bangladeshi golfers to do something exceptional there,” said Siddikur. “The golf landscape has changed. I can say that golf is probably the second most popular sport in the country after cricket. Everybody knows about golf and they know about me because I’ve done well on the Asian Tour,” he explained. This is the first time Bangladesh will host an Asian Tour event. It previously staged domestic and regional golf tournaments including with the Professional Golf of India (PGTI) Tour and also hosted an Asian Development Tour (ADT) tournament in 2011.
Bashundhara Bangladesh Open Golf Tournament from May 27
The logo unveiling ceremony and formal launching of Bashundhara Bangladesh Open Golf Tournament-2015, the first-ever Asian Tour event in the country, was held in the city on Monday.
A three-year agreement between the Bangladesh Golf Federation (BGF), the organiser of the tournament, and the Asian Tour (AT) was also signed at the launching ceremony at International Convention City Bashundhara.
Bashundhara Group, the country’s leading business conglomerate, is the title sponsor of the international professional golf event involving prizes totalling US$300,000, with local hero Siddikur Rahman headlining the tournament on home soil.
The Golf Tournament will be held from May 27 to 30, marking the fifth new tournament added to the continental circuit this year.
Country’s golf ace Siddiqur Rahman aside, a total of 150 Asian professionals, including 30 Bangladesh golfers, will participate in the world-class golf event.
Additional Managing Director of Bashundhara Group Safwan Sobhan, Senior Vice-President of BGF Maj Gen Mizanur Rahman Khan and Mohammad Shariz of Asian Tour officially unveiled the tournament logo.
Golf Federation Secretary General Brig Gen Abul Fazal Mohammad Sanaullah and Tournament Director of Asian Tour Fritz Katzengruber signed the three-year agreement on behalf of their respective organisations. Bashundhara Group Adviser (PR) and Head of AHR Lt Col (retd) Khandaker Abdul Wahed was present on the occasion.
Bashundhara Group Deputy Managing Director Md Mostafizur Rahman, Adviser (Press and Media) Mohammad Abu Tayeb, Executive Director (Accounts and Finance) of East West Property Development (Pvt) Limited Imrul Hasan, Adviser and Treasurer Maynal Hossain Chowdhury, Bangladesh Golf Federation’s Junior Division President Maj Gen Md Masud Razzak and other officials were also present.
Earlier, Bashundhara Group entered into a three-year sponsorship agreement with Bangladesh Golf Federation on April 7.
With the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open, Asian Tour is set to make its debut in Bangladesh. It was a long awaited dream for the players and golf lovers and the entrepreneurs of the country to experience this sports event. And it is only being made possible by the leading business entity of the country engaged in diversified business portfolios, Bashundhara Group, as the title sponsor who has taken interest in developing sports in Bangladesh.
The True Thailand Classic, AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, Vascory Classic in Malaysia and Ho Tram Open in Vietnam were previously added to this year’s Asian Tour.
Bangladesh golf maestro Siddikur became the first Bangladeshi champion on the Asian Tour when he won the 2010 Brunei Open and subsequently added a victory at the 2013 Hero Indian Open. The 30-year-old finished in the top 10 on the Order of Merit in 2010, 2011 and 2013, and was 36th last season, after his year was curtailed by a back injury.
He also featured prominently in Team Asia’s fantastic fightback to draw with Europe in the inaugural EurAsia Cup in Malaysia, contributing two points from out of three, including a convincing 4&3 singles victory over Ryder Cup player Stephen Gallacher. He is also in the running to qualify for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Speaking on the occasion, Lt Col (retd) Khandaker Abdul Wahed said, “Bashundhara Group is the country’s top business and industrial conglomerate and also a sports-friendly organisation. It patronizes sports at home and abroad. Members of the Sobhan family had always been proactive and played significant role in the overall development of sports through infrastructure support, sponsoring and hosting mega events at home and abroad. Advocate Abdus Sobhan, grandfather of Safwan Sobhan, had been a premier swimmer and a badminton player in the then undivided Bengal in the early 30s.”
“Besides, Bashundhara Group Additional Managing Director Safwan Sobhan’s uncle Abdus Sadek is a legendary sports personality and a member of the then world champion Pakistan hockey team in 1969-70. Last year, the group has hosted Bangladesh-Zimbabwe cricket series as title sponsor marked by ‘whitewash or banglawash’. Bashundhara Group is the major contributor of Golf event. It will provide more assistance, if necessary, in the future,” he added.