According to sources, the participation of the Bangladesh football team in the 19th Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou, China is very certain.
According to the source, written consent is being sought from the concerned committee members of the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) regarding the participation of the men’s football team. The official decision will come soon and it will definitely be positive.
When contacted in this regard, Vice President of Bangladesh Football Federation (BAFFE) and Chairman of National Team Committee Kazi Nabil Ahmed, MP, told BASS over the telephone that he is hopeful that a positive decision will be taken by BOA regarding the participation of men’s football team in the Asian Games. His hope is that the Bangladesh men’s football team will play in the Asian Games.
The decision was taken not to send the men’s football team to the Hangzhou Games in the meeting of the Bangladesh Olympic Committee, citing poor performance. However, the officials agreed to send the women’s team.
However, in the last Asian Games in 2018, the Bangladesh team made history by defeating the powerful Qatar. The red-green team advanced to the second round of the Games. However, the representatives of the football federation present at the meeting did not take any strong role against the decision, the chief of the mission AK Sarkar told the media. However, he told Bass if the Football Federation (BFUF) writes to the matter, the matter may be reconsidered.
BOA vice-president Sheikh Bashir Ahmed said the same thing. He told the media that most of the members gave the opinion that ‘men’s football is not doing well’ in the discussion. They lost to Seychelles. And because the girls are doing well in football, it was decided to send them.
He said that the two vice-presidents of BAFUF, Kazi Nabil Ahmed MP and Mohiuddin Ahmed Mahi, were present in the meeting but could not take a firm stand on sending the team. But for the first time in football history, the men’s football team played in the second round at the last Asian Games. Based on those previous results, the men’s football team easily qualified for the Asian Games football.
Meanwhile, BOA Secretary General Syed Shahed Reza told reporters today that they will send both men’s and women’s football teams to the Asian Games.
He said that he has known the attitude of BOA president and other officials regarding the men’s football team. BOA Secretary General also mentioned that everyone expressed positive attitude.
The 19th Asian Games will be held from September 23 to October 8.
(May 16)