November 13, 2014 will mark a milestone in our country’s football with the inauguration of the Bangladesh Football Federation academy in Sylhet, said the chief of the federation Kazi Salahuddin.
“After 43 years of liberation, the first football academy of the country sees the light, it should have been started a long ago but it is better late than never. The future of the country’s football is here and we have a lot of plans regarding the academy,” said an excited Salahuddin.
However, a major setback in terms of fund is also on the cards but the BFF boss is hopeful that they will make both ends meet with the help from government and concerned authorities.
“All I can say is let us start the academy, with the ball rolling we will also expand our plans. I admit a big purse is required to run the academy but I am hopeful that we will be able to arrange it, we will appeal to the government and other concerned sectors to contribute towards the development of the game,” he said.
The inauguration ceremony will feature the finance minister as the chief guest along with four to five other ministers as special guests. Salahuddin is all set to deliver a heart touching speech for the sake of the academy and football and said, “The infrastructure is perfect, all we need is a purse of Tk50m to run the academy and rise the standard football producing system.”
Football has always been considered as a way to end poverty and it is nothing different for Bangladesh too. Majority of the Under-13 footballers selected through a grueling process belong to impoverished families who dare to dream big.
“It was a great moment for me when I was selected for the academy, I want to play for the national team,” said central midfielder Dipak Roy whose father is a rickshaw puller in Nilphamari.
Delowar Hossain Saidee of Thakurgaon, whose father also pulls rickshaw to meet the day-to-day expenses of their family, is a versatile athlete who proved his potential in both football and hockey. Adjudged as the best player in the district level in both the sport mid-fielder Delowar opted to concentrate more on football and said, “My motto is to be a footballer who will be familiar across the country. Football is in my heart.”
Meanwhile, Minhajul Karim Swadhin made his father proud with the news of his selection in the academy. Son of an army footballer who lives in Chittagong Cantonment the striker said, “My father was the happiest man when I got the chance, he wants me to be a national footballer and I have dream of becoming a footballer of repute from my childhood.”
