TDS Desk

The country’s football fraternity is eagerly waiting to watch an English Premier League (EPL) footballer, Hamza Choudhury, representing the nation. Besides, they are expecting to see several other expat footballers playing for various age-level teams. The chess fraternity is expecting to end the drought of getting a Grandmaster after a long 17-year and the hockey fraternity for the first time will see their men’s junior team play in the World Cup.

Bangladesh will also take part in the upcoming 14th South Asian (SA) Games 2025, which is expected to be held in November at four different venues in Pakistan – Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad. In the last SA Games, which was held in 2019 in Nepal, Bangladesh earned 142 medals including 19 gold, 33 silver, 90 bronze with a record-breaking result in archery where they bagged 10 gold from 10 events.

If the SA Games takes place on time, Bangladesh can dream of showing a better performance in Pakistan as they will have enough time to get ready for this regional event.

FLIGHTS FROM EUROPE-USA TO DHAKA: A YEAR OF EXPAT FOOTBALLERS

Hamza Choudhury, the first Bangladeshi-origin English Premier League (EPL) footballer, is expected to start his journey for the men in red and green with a match of AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers third (final) round between Bangladesh and India on 25 March in India. Hamza will also play the other matches of this tournament against Singapore on 10 June (home) and 31 March 2026 (away), Hong Kong on 9 (home) and 14 October (away) and India on 18 November (home). Also, the 27-year-old right-back of Leicester City will feature for the men in red and green in this year’s SAFF Championship.

Bangladeshi-origin youngster from USA, Zayan Ahmed, is expecting to play for U-23s in the upcoming AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers. The schedule of the qualifiers is yet to be announced but Zayan will definitely come to Dhaka for the trials before the competition. Another Bangladeshi-English youngster Ariyan Amir is also expecting to come for trials for the U-23s this year. Besides, Bangladeshi-Canadian Shamit Some and Bangladeshi-American youngster Quinn Sullivan are also expected to surprise the fans this year.

FAHAD OR NEER – WHO WILL BECOME THE SIXTH GM OF BANGLADESH?

Bangladesh got its first Grandmaster, Niaz Murshed, in 1987 and the fifth or last Grandmaster, Enamul Hossain Razib, in 2008. Bangladesh got the first Grandmaster, Niaz Murshed, in 1987 and the fifth or last Grandmaster, Enamul Hossain Razib, in 2008. Two International Masters — Fahad Rahman and Manon Reja Neer – have revived a new dream for the sixth GM title of Bangladesh chess after a long 17 years.

Fahad, a 21-year-old, achieved his first GM norm after beating FIDE Master Banh Gia Hay of Vietnam in the Hanoi GM3 Chess in May in Vietnam while IM Neer, a 14-year-old, achieved the IM title and became the country’s youngest chess player to secure it after earning his third IM norm from the Six Days Budapest Two Years 2024 Grand Masters, International Masters and Below 2250 Rating Event in Hungary in October.

Niaz Murshed, the first Grandmaster of South Asia, achieved his IM title at the age of 15 years and five months while Neer achieved this feat at the age of 14 years and three months.

“Neer is younger than Fahad and showing better performance, advancing rapidly. But Fahad is ahead of him in terms of rating, he has already achieved his first GM norm. But both have an equal chance to get the GM title this year,” said Harun Ur Rashid, chief arbitrator of the Bangladesh Chess Federation.

HOCKEY TO MAKE DEBUT IN JUNIOR WORLD CUP

Bangladesh hockey for the first time will see its junior (U-21) side play in the Men’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup 2025 in December in India. Bangladesh U-21s secured the World Cup spot from the Men’s Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2024 held in Muscat, Oman in November-December.

“We will start a residential camp for them (U-21s) five to six months before the tournament. We will try to provide them with all modern facilities, to appoint a head coach (foreign) who has experience of the World Cup. We will soon start corresponding with different nations to find out a coach,” said Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) ad hoc committee’s general secretary Lieutenant Colonel Md Reazul Islam (retd).

BIG EXPECTATIONS FROM SA GAMES 2025

Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) in December announced it will host the 14th SA Games 2025 in November at four different venues– Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad. Bangladesh, who bagged a record-breaking 142 medals including 19 gold, 33 silver, 90 bronze in the previous 13th  SA Games 2019 in Nepal, will definitely expect to show a better performance or at least repeat the same result in this year’s Games. Bangladesh’s men’s and women’s archers and shooters, swimmer Samiul Islam Rafi, weightlifter Mabia Akhter Simanta, boxer Md Salim will be headlines if the POB really host the meet.

“If it (SA Games) takes place, I will be ready. It will be my debut participation in the SA Games and of course my goal will be to earn gold with records for the country,” said Rafi.

Among the teams’ events, kabaddi men’s team, football men’s and women’s teams, cricket men’s and women’s teams also have the chance to bring home some glory.