Roman Sana has suddenly decided to retire from the national archery team. There is an uproar about this. Zahid Ahsan Russell, the former state minister for youth and sports and currently the chairman of the standing committee of this ministry, has learned about the sorrow behind Roman’s retirement through the media. At that time, he presented his position to the Bangla Tribune.
Roman did not get any big award for making the country shine in the world through archery, like Mabia Akhter Shimand, Shakeel Ahmed or Mahfuza Khatun Sheela. All of them have been given flats in Dhaka.
Roman also regretted this. However, Zahid Ahsan said, ‘I came to know about Roman through the media. My point is that those who got the award, they applied earlier. Besides verbally informed about their problems. But Roman never asked us for anything. Of course it could be done for him if he wanted. Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a human being. Surely he would have done something for her. Now, if I don’t want to, how can I understand who needs what?’
There is an archery camp at Tongi in Gazipur. Russell’s constituency is there. On that basis there is regular traffic. The former Minister of State for Sports lamented, ‘I have been to the camp so many times, Roman has never said anything. I even had the opportunity to communicate on my mobile. There is also that relationship. Even then, why not do it, now the media is talking about different things. It’s sad to see. The last shooter Sharmin was given a huge sum of money by the Prime Minister to buy a flat. Roman would get what he wanted. He is the wealth of the country.’
Earlier, after winning a medal in the world championship, he was successful in intending to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. At that time, Roman’s wish was fulfilled by eating sweets from the hands of the Prime Minister. Recalling it again, Russell said, ‘If he had told the Prime Minister what he wanted, then there was a chance to do it. Our Prime Minister is very humane. Don’t turn anyone away. He didn’t want anything there either. And because of financial constraints in the Corona and Russia Ukraine war, it was not possible to do anything by ourselves.’
But it is not that nothing has been done for Roman. Zahid Ahsan said, ‘When we heard that his mother was sick. Called and paid 5 lakh. Now if it is said that the country has not given anything, it will be sad. Still, I’ll say the way is open for Roman. You can contact us at any time. If necessary, we will take him to the Prime Minister again.’
