BANGLADESH football has reached its rock bottom. Its recent loss against Bhutan in Asia Cup qualifying playoff by 3-1 bears ample testimony to this. Bangladesh ranks 185 in FIFA ranking whereas Bhutan stands at 189! Once Bangladesh and India were neck to neck in world ranking, but now India has risen up to the 148th position. We see India going far ahead of Bangladesh. I will not be surprised if Bhutan goes ahead in a similar fashion by beating teams like Bangladesh.
Football in Bangladesh has been given lot of opportunities for further improvement, the most notable one being the sole and exclusive right of use of the Dhaka Stadium. Sadly, all these opportunities produced very little or no result so far. Our hearts bleed as we see Bangladesh is now beaten by teams like Bhutan and the Maldives. These teams were beaten with ease on several occasions in the past.
Defeat against Bhutan is a glaring testimony of our fast declining football and should be an eye opener for the football authorities of the country. It is also painful that we failed to score any goal against the same opponents when the hilly nation last visited Bangladesh. The game that enjoyed tremendous popularity in the country in spite of many infrastructural limitations has sunk deep into the ground. The Bangladesh Football Federation, which is controlling body of football in the country, has failed miserably to perform its due role to maintain the standard of the game, let alone improving it.
We clearly remember how hundreds and thousands of football lovers used to throng the Dhaka stadium during the 1980s and 90s to watch first division football league matches. What we see now is just the reverse - empty stadium and a handful of spectators. Can we not bring back the old glory of football in the country and draw massive crowds to Dhaka stadium to watch football matches?
Masud Rana
Dhanmondi, Dhaka
- Friday, 22 November 2024 |
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