BHF goes all out to create Asia Cup Hockey hype
Sports Reporter
Bangladesh hockey federation (BHF) organisers on Saturday said that they have chalked out some measures to create hype regarding the upcoming Hero Asia Cup Hockey Bangladesh not just among the national team but also the hockey buffs at home and abroad.
The 10th edition of the quadrennial event that Bangladesh will host at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium (MBNHS) in Dhaka after a 32-year-long hiatus will start from October 11 to 22.
In the eight-team tournament, whereby Bangladesh have been drawn in the toughest Pool-A along with the highest-ranked Asian team India, Pakistan and Japan, whilst Pool-B comprised of defending champions South Korea, Malaysia, Oman and China.
Abdus Sadeq, general secretary of Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF), disclosed all at the TV promo and theme song launching ceremony at the Dutch-Bangla Bank Auditorium of the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) yesterday.
Hockey in Bangladesh gradually started re-emerging. There was a huge number of spectators in the stadium 32 years ago. This time weve tried our best to fetch them in the ground, said Abdus Sadeq.
TV promo that unveiled at the programme will soon be released at all the television channels. The banners will be hung across the capital city. Road show will be done by horse-cart. Along with that, well try to scatter leaflets by helicopter at the main cities of the country with the help of our hockey federation president to make buzz among the people, Sadeq told media during the launching programme.
The theme song Atti Tarar Mela was lent by local vocalist Arif, written and composed by Mannan Mohammad.
He was accompanied with BHF senior vice president Dr Mahfuzur Rahman, Abdul Aziz, deputy managing director of the First Security Islami Bank Limited and Major (retd.) Mir Motahar Hossain, advisor of ATN Bangla on the occasion.
Expressing the gratitude to the government, BHF general secretary said they have set up the floodlight in due time. Were grateful to the government, who helped us build the floodlight in due time. Massive construction work is now going on by National Sports Council (NSC). Electronic scoreboard from China will come within October 5. NSC told us that they could set up it within two days. Hopefully we could be finished our all sort of preparation before the advent of the overseas team, the septuagenarian Sadeq told in response to a query.
The first captain of national hockey team also said that there will be no ticketing system in the showpiece event.
Everybody will get access to the stadium. There will be no ticketing system but well give pass to some school and college to witness the extravaganza event so that we could popularise the game among the students, he viewed.
When asked about the practice match prior to the all-Asian event, Sadeq said that they have finalised just one practice match against South Korea what they will play on October 8 under floodlight after their arrival.
Weve approached to some teams but only South Korea responded to us. The defending champions will first arrive in Dhaka on October 8 and play the practice match at the same day under floodlight, he answered. Mahfuzur Rahman, who is working for the development of the countrys hockey by spending oodles of money, said that they have set their next target to play in the 2022 Hockey World Cup.
Our aim and dream is to play the 2022 World Cup. If we could beat two teams of the Pool A, our path to the World Cup will then be mostly done. For this, this Asia Cup is important for them, said Mahfuzur Rahman, who is also chairman of ATN Bangla and ATN News.
