Sports Desk:

For veteran national footballer and coach Golam Sarwar Tipu, it was like going through memory lane as he witnessed football buzz all around the National Stadium on Tuesday ahead of the Bangladesh-Singapore AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers clash.

In a country where cricket is dominating the sporting scene, it was certainly a breath of fresh air for the football community as they are gaining popularity courtesy of Hamza Choudhury and others.

Since the morning, the question raised among many football enthusiasts was when such a crowd gathered in the National Stadium in the capital and who could be a better person than Tipu to answer it.

“I have not seen such a crowd for a long time. Probably such a kind of turnaround in the recent past and probably this kind of crowd gathered during the 1968 Aga Khan Gold Cup and during the 1985 Asia Cup Hockey final between India and Pakistan,” Golam Sarwar Tipu said.

Excitement is running high in Dhaka as fans began flooding the National Stadium hours ahead of Bangladesh’s match against Singapore, set to kick off at 7 pm.

The atmosphere around Paltan, Gulistan, and the surrounding areas has taken on a carnival-like feel, with football enthusiasts eager to be part of the action.

By the time gates opened at 2:30 pm, long queues had already formed, with a steady stream of fans—mostly young supporters—pouring into the venue.

The stadium grounds are alive with energy. Many fans have been seen snapping photos with life-size cutouts of their favourite national team players, with Hamza Choudhury and Fahamedul Islam drawing especially large crowds. Supporters, proudly sporting Bangladesh jerseys and waving flags, are holding up placards with messages of encouragement like “Hamza, we love you.”

Outside the stadium, a lively procession led by Bangladeshi Football Ultras—complete with drums and chanting—passed by Baitul Mukarram Mosque, adding to the festival-like atmosphere rarely seen in recent years.

It’s been a long time since Bangladesh football has witnessed such fervour. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, football was one of the nation’s favourite pastimes. While that golden era has faded, certain key matches, such as past encounters with Australia and Qatar, have reignited public interest, though often with tempered expectations. Those matches drew crowds, but not the level of optimism seen today.

Today, however, the scene is more controlled. With the stadium’s seating now limited to 21,000 due to modern renovations, tickets had sold out well in advance.

This has kept many ticketless fans away, though the stadium was nearly full several hours before match time.

What sets this match apart is the genuine belief among fans that Bangladesh can win. The inclusion of overseas-based players like Hamza Choudhury, Fahamedul Islam, and Shamit Shome has injected new hope and excitement into the squad.

Former national striker Sheikh Aslam expressed his feeling to see the unprecedented crowd in the stadium.

“It is a fantastic feeling to see such a crowd in the stadium and it surely suggests that people still love the game,” said Aslam.