Bimal Ghosh Bhulu and the revival of Bangladesh Volleyball

The volleyball scene in Bangladesh, once buried beneath dust and disinterest, is stirring again, this time, under the careful stewardship of a veteran who once led from the court and now leads from the federation. Bimal Ghosh Bhulu, the newly appointed General Secretary of the Bangladesh Volleyball Federation (BVF), embodies this renaissance. With a career stretching from the Dhaka University volleyball team, later the national team, to the Air Force, and now to the helm of an ambitious ad-hoc committee, his journey mirrors the resilience and tenacity volleyball so often demands.

A Captain Returns
Long before he found himself behind a desk, he was leading teams across continents. The name Bimal Ghosh Bhulu may evoke nostalgia among those who witnessed the golden flickers of Bangladeshi volleyball in the 1980s. 
He began his volleyball journey in 1975, playing for the Dhaka University Volleyball Team, which in the same year went head-to-head with a visiting Russian side, an encounter that left a mark not only on the court but on a young man's soul.
In March 1978, he captained Dhaka University to a championship victory in the Bangladesh Games. Later that year, he wore national colours at the 8th Asian Games in Bangkok, and subsequently played in the 9th Asian Games in Delhi, and later showcased Bangladeshi spirit on courts in Russia, Turkey, Japan, Korea, and beyond. Notably, he captained the national side on several occasions, a mantle he also bore while playing for the Bangladesh Air Force Volleyball Team.
In the wake of the July 2024 Mass Uprising and the fall of the preceding tyrannical regime, the National Sports Council (NSC) restructured various sporting bodies. On February 2, 2025, Bimal and his team were entrusted with rejuvenating volleyball through a newly constituted ad-hoc committee.
"I never imagined I would return to serve volleyball in this capacity," he reflected. 
"But when duty called in 2025, I knew it was time to give back. We didn't want to look back. We focused only on what could be done. We took this assignment as a challenge, and every challenge, when taken with sincerity, becomes an opportunity." The new general secretary of Bangladesh Volleyball Federation said with characteristic humility. 

Past and Current Situation of Volleyball
Bangladesh's last glimmer of volleyball glory came in 1999 (men's bronze) and 1993 (women's bronze) at the South Asian Games. The decades since have been marked by drought in the international arena.
Volleyball, once pulsating with possibility, had become an afterthought. Yet in just five months, the new committee staged a revival few had anticipated. A total of five events, each distinct and symbolic, have been successfully organised. Bimal's team had organised the Volleyball Youth Festival and Under-23 Youth Volleyball Tournament, which was restored after a long hiatus, Independence Day Volleyball, Inter-District Women's Volleyball Competition and the National Volleyball Final Round (Men's and Women's). 
"Arranging five events in five months with a new, temporary committee wasn't easy. But we were committed. That made the impossible possible," he noted with subdued pride. 
A milestone among these events was the inter-district women's competition held in May, especially significant in a landscape where female athletes have long battled for visibility.
He said, "We successfully completed the final round of the inter-district women's volleyball competition. Our objective was to identify young women sports enthusiasts in the far corners of Bangladesh who often remain unnoticed."
This competition unearthed raw talent from across the country. As per the plan of the Federation, A 30-member women's national training camp will now commence from August 9 at BKSP, a foundational step in long-term development. The former captain of the National Volleyball Team believes that if nurtured properly, these athletes will rise to national and even international levels in the next two to three years.

Events and Preparations
The Federation is preparing to host the CAVA International Volleyball Championship from October 22 to 28, 2025, hoping to reposition Bangladesh on the Asian volleyball map. 
The nostalgic Bimal said, "We were once respected in this region. We aim to reclaim that position."
To this end, a national training camp for male players began on July 1 in Dhaka. The reappointment of Iranian coach Ali Pour Aroji, a familiar face who previously worked with Bangladeshi players, signals a calculated continuity.
Meanwhile, the Federation is considering sending players abroad, possibly to Sri Lanka or Thailand, for conditioning camps and preparatory matches ahead of the 2026 South Asian Games in Pakistan.

Talent Pipeline and Structural Growth
The ad-hoc committee is not just organising events, it is building a future. A comprehensive district-level talent hunt is underway. Coaches will be deployed across regions to identify promising players, ensuring a constant flow of talent into national structures.
"We are also thinking beyond the players," 
"We need trained referees, coaches and technical officials. That is why we're initiating development programmes for all stakeholders," Bimal said.
He envisions a Federation not as an office, but as an ecosystem, sustainable, inclusive and resilient.

The Venue Dilemma: A Call for Infrastructure
One of the Federation's greatest challenges remains the infrastructure. The current volleyball venue in Paltan lacks the facilities to host national, let alone international, events. Most recent matches have had to be held at the indoor stadium in Mirpur.
He said, "We cannot dream of hosting the region's best with facilities from another era. We need new venues, at least one near Dhaka and few others around the country."

Securing the Future of Players
For Bimal, the matter doesn't end at tournaments. He is equally concerned with the post-career security of athletes.
"We want to ensure our players have opportunities after the closure of their sports career. That means jobs, coaching roles and institutional support. We are in talks with clubs and organisations to create such pathways."
"For all this, we will need support, financial, logistical and moral. I ask our patrons and all lovers of sport to stand with us," he suggests.

A Legacy, Not Just a Tenure
While the ad-hoc committee is by nature temporary, Bimal's initiatives are not time bound.
In this short period, he is hopeful to accomplish something truly meaningful and do something that others may look up to and remember. With the sincere efforts of his committee, through the time and labour devoted, he wishes to elevate this sport to a stronger, more respectable pedestal. 

What he seeks to build is not merely an administration, but a movement, one that revives volleyball not as a pastime, but as a pursuit of national pride.