Bangladesh football team was scheduled to return to Dhaka from Kathmandu on Tuesday afternoon, but the flight was postponed.
The national team was supposed to return a day earlier than planned, but the flight was delayed due to the ongoing situation in Nepal, according to a statement.
It was mentioned that the flight was Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ BG 0372, scheduled to take off at 3pm Tuesday.
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) issued the statement as concerns grew about the whereabouts of the footballers.
The men in red and green traveled to Kathmandu to play two FIFA international friendly matches against Nepal.
The first match, held at the capital’s Dashrath Rangasala Stadium on Saturday, ended in a goalless draw. The second friendly, scheduled for Tuesday evening at the same venue, was postponed on Monday.
Nepal’s political situation worsened on Monday as demonstrations by the ‘Gen Z’ movement against the government filled the streets.
Bangladesh players were unable to leave their hotel as large groups of demonstrators gathered outside.
“We are stuck here in very difficult circumstances,” team manager Amer Khan told Bangladeshi media.
“The protesters have gathered in front of our hotel. Because of this, we could not reach the airport, and the flight was cancelled,” Amer added.
BFF released another statement saying that Bangladesh’s foreign ministry, the Nepal embassy in Dhaka, and the All Nepal Football Association were closely monitoring the situation to ensure the footballers’ safety.
“The local authority – the All Nepal Football Association – and the Bangladesh embassy have ensured that the Bangladesh team is completely safe and secure at their current location,” the statement added.
“We are keeping our eyes on the situation at all times and will inform everyone about our next steps,” it concluded.
On Monday, the Bangladesh team could not attend their scheduled training session at Dashrath Stadium due to the protests.
According to reports on Tuesday, Kathmandu’s international airport was closed with immediate effect amid violent demonstrations.
The latest reports state that Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma resigned as anti-corruption protests escalated in the Himalayan nation.
