Bangladesh expect to play in U-18 hockey final

BHF sees a healthy growth of the game in future

Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) aim to take the game to a new height through displaying better performance in the age group tournaments.

BHF general secretary Abdus Sadeque thinks the forthcoming Beximco U-18 Asia Cup would pave the way to regain its lost popularity. The seven nations U-18 Asia Cup kicks off September 24 at the Maulana Bhashani Hockey Stadium. Three matches will be played on the opening day with Bangladesh facing India in the last and third match of the day at 3pm. 
BHF vice-presidents Khawja Rahmatullah, Shafiullah Al Munir, tournament committee secretary Anvir Adil and Ajmal Kabir, Beximco Group Director & CEO of  Petroleum & LNG also spoke on the occasion.
The seven nations initially will play in two groups and the top two teams of each group  will face in the semifinals.
The participating teams are (group wise): 
Pool A: India, Oman and Bangladesh.
Pool B: Pakistan, China, Hong Kong China Chinese Taipei.
The foreign teams have started to arrive in the city. India and Chinese Taipei have already in the capital yesterday. The rest foreign teams are due to arrive on September 22. The final will take place on September 28.
“Since country’s leading corporate house Beximco has formed partnership with BHF, we think the federation would face no problem to carry out its development work in  a rapid space,” said Sadeque and added “Beximco’s partnership with BHF definitely help a healthy growth of hockey in the country in future.”
Ajmal Kabir said that it has come forward to patronise hockey to bring it to a certain height and hope that it would soon gain popularity next to cricket. “Yes we want to see the game to that level and we are ready to spend as much money to work for the development of hockey phase by phase.”
“You know Beximco is always love to patronise sports and games and from that point of view I can assure you that we will stand by hockey like cricket,” said Kabir a former sportsman.
Shafiullah Al Munir said that BHF has taken three-tier development programme. He thinks that Beximco would be remain as its partner for  short-term, mid-term and long term development programme through out the country. Khawja Rahmatullah replying two a question said that Bangladesh has targeted to play in the final. “This time we would make our all out effort to sink Pakistan in the semifinal before making final berth.”
“Our team has been making preparation for more than two months at BKSP with fifty per cent of the players belonging to the institution. And they are being prepared by a German expert. Among the players, we have three who have already represented the national team. Winger Rumman, midfielder Fazle Rabi and drag-flicker Ashraful Islam.
This will be the second time out of four editions that Bangladesh are taking part in the Asian Under-18 Hockey. Bangladesh finished third in the maiden tournament in 2001 in Ipoh, Malaysia. Thereafter Bangladesh stayed away from taking part in the next two tournaments in  Yangon in 2009 and in Singapore in 2013.

Bangladesh expect to play in U-18 hockey final

BHF sees a healthy growth of the game in future

Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) aim to take the game to a new height through displaying better performance in the age group tournaments. BHF general secretary Abdus Sadeque thinks the forthcoming Beximco U-18 Asia Cup would pave the way to regain its lost popularity. The seven nations U-18 Asia Cup kicks off September 24 at the Maulana Bhashani Hockey Stadium. Three matches will be played on the opening day with Bangladesh facing India in the last and third match of the day at 3pm. BHF vice-presidents Khawja Rahmatullah, Shafiullah Al Munir, tournament committee secretary Anvir Adil and Ajmal Kabir, Beximco Group Director CEO of Petroleum LNG also spoke on the occasion. The seven nations initially will play in two groups and the top two teams of each group will face in the semifinals. The participating teams are (group wise): Pool A: India, Oman and Bangladesh. Pool B: Pakistan, China, Hong Kong China Chinese Taipei. The foreign teams have started to arrive in the city. India and Chinese Taipei have already in the capital yesterday. The rest foreign teams are due to arrive on September 22. The final will take place on September 28. Since countrys leading corporate house Beximco has formed partnership with BHF, we think the federation would face no problem to carry out its development work in a rapid space, said Sadeque and added Beximcos partnership with BHF definitely help a healthy growth of hockey in the country in future. Ajmal Kabir said that it has come forward to patronise hockey to bring it to a certain height and hope that it would soon gain popularity next to cricket. Yes we want to see the game to that level and we are ready to spend as much money to work for the development of hockey phase by phase. You know Beximco is always love to patronise sports and games and from that point of view I can assure you that we will stand by hockey like cricket, said Kabir a former sportsman. Shafiullah Al Munir said that BHF has taken three-tier development programme. He thinks that Beximco would be remain as its partner for short-term, mid-term and long term development programme through out the country. Khawja Rahmatullah replying two a question said that Bangladesh has targeted to play in the final. This time we would make our all out effort to sink Pakistan in the semifinal before making final berth. Our team has been making preparation for more than two months at BKSP with fifty per cent of the players belonging to the institution. And they are being prepared by a German expert. Among the players, we have three who have already represented the national team. Winger Rumman, midfielder Fazle Rabi and drag-flicker Ashraful Islam. This will be the second time out of four editions that Bangladesh are taking part in the Asian Under-18 Hockey. Bangladesh finished third in the maiden tournament in 2001 in Ipoh, Malaysia. Thereafter Bangladesh stayed away from taking part in the next two tournaments in Yangon in 2009 and in Singapore in 2013.