Seven national footballers, who received show-cause letters last Monday for breaching team protocol, were duly excluded as the Bangladesh Football Federation yesterday announced the 22-member squad for the upcoming 2018 Fifa World Cup second round qualifier away to Jordan, scheduled for March 24.
Prior to the World Cup qualifying match, the national squad will travel to Dubai to take on the United Arab Emirates in a Fifa international friendly on March 18.
Captain Mamunul Islam is the biggest name missing from the 22-man squad while the other exiled players are – Jahid Hasan Ameli, Zahid Hossain, Atiqur Rahman Meshu, Sohel Rana, Yeamin Ahmed Munna and Yeasin Khan. They will only be recalled to the side if they are found not guilty.
Veteran defender Rezaul Karim has been called up along with Shakil Ahmed, Emon Mahmud, Shahedul Alam Shahed, Fazley Rabbi, Atiqur Rahman Fahad and Rubel Miah.
The national team’s training camp for the eighth and final qualifier will begin at the BFF House this Saturday under the guidance of temporary Spanish head coach Gonzalo Sanchez Moreno and manager Satyajit Das Rupu while BFF vice-president Badal Roy will perform his duty as the newly-appointed team leader. Local coach Syed Golam Jilani will be the assistant coach.
The Bengal Tigers are rooted at the bottom of Group B with only one point. They lost 4-0 to Jordan at home in the first leg. Jordan, on the other hand, are second with 13 points from six matches, two behind Asian champions Australia.
Squad
Russel Mahmud Liton, Mazharul Islam Hemel, Ashraful Islam Rana; Rayhan Hasan, Topu Barman, Nasirul Islam Nasir, Rezaul Karim, Keshto Kumar Bosh, Waly Faisal, Shakil Ahmed; Emon Mahmud, Monaem Khan Raju, Jamal Bhuiyan, Shahedul Alam Shahed, Fazley Rabbi, Atiqur Rahman Fahad, Masuk Miah Joni; Rubel Miah, Nabib Newaj Jibon, Shakhawat Hossain Rony, Jewel Rana, Aminur Rahman Sojib.
