NN Online:
Bangladeshi-origin English Premier League footballer Hamza Dewan Chowdhury, named in the 30-member preliminary squad for the AFC Asian Cup 2025 qualifiers, arrived in Bangladesh on Monday.
Hamza, along with his family, arrived at Sylhet Osmani International Airport at 11:45am on a Bangladesh Biman flight from Manchester, UK.
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) officials welcomed him with flowers.
Executive members of the BFF including Sakhawat Hossain Bhuiyan Shahin, Kamrul Islam Hilton, Golam Ghaus, Iqbal Hossain, Satyajit Das Rupu, Imtiaz Hamid Sabuj, and Manjurul Karim, were present at the airport.
Hamza’s father Morshed Dewan Chowdhury was present at that time.
Murshed Chowdhury said that Hamza wears the red-green jersey out of deep love for the country.
He said if other players of Bangladeshi origin follow Hamza’s example and return home, Bangladesh could have a chance to represent the nation in the 2030 World Cup.
From the airport, Hamza is scheduled to travel to his village home in Bahubal upazila, Habiganj the same day.
After spending one or two days at his village home, Hamza will travel to Dhaka on either Tuesday or Wednesday to join the Bangladesh national football team camp.
Hamza will attend the Bangladesh team’s official press conference at the team hotel in Dhaka on Wednesday (March 19), where he will address the press alongside the team coach and captain.
The full squad of the Bangladesh national team including Hamza Chowdhury, is expected to have their final practice session on Wednesday afternoon or evening, following the team’s official photo session.
The national team will fly to Kolkata on Thursday morning (March 20) en route to Shillong for their AFC Asian Cup Qualifier match against India on March 25.
Earlier, the Bangladesh football team reached the Saudi Arabian city of Taif about two weeks ago to undergo a 12-day intensive training for the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers match against India.
Hamza is scheduled to return to London on March 28.
