A 23-member Bangladesh football team will leave here for Maldives on Tuesday at 12:05pm to contest an international friendly against the Saff finalist on Thursday.
The preliminary 33-man squad was reduced on Monday with midfielder Hemanta Vincent Biswas making the cut. Captain Mamunul Islam though will not travel to Male due to injury.
Four new faces have been called up to the final squad for the first time, including the experienced Sentu Chandra Sen, and wingers Jafar Iqbal, Mohammad Abdullah and Didarul Alam.
Midfielder Anamul Haque Sharif got the nod after seven years while Pranotosh Kumar returned to the national side following a three-year hiatus.
In the absence of Mamunul and the suspended Jamal Bhuiyan, Hemanta, who was not included in the 33-member squad, is likely to take charge of midfield. Hemanta has returned from injury along with Emon Mahmud and Sohel Rana.
On the other hand, Jewel Rana, Atiqur Rahman Meshu, Aminur Rahman Sajib, Mehedi Hasan Tapu, Mansur Amin, Mohammad Rumman, Mehbub Hasan Nayan and Atiqur Rahman failed to make it into the final squad.
Bangladesh's Belgian head coach Tom Saintfiet, who flew to his homeland on Friday due to the birth of his daughter, is likely to join the team in Maldives on Tuesday. Bangladesh Football Federation's technical and strategical director Paul Smalley is temporarily guiding the team in Saintfiet's absence.
The men in red and green will stay at Champa Central Hotel in Male and after the friendly, they are scheduled to return to Dhaka on Saturday.
Bangladesh will take on Bhutan at Bangabandhu National Stadium next Tuesday in the Asian Football Confederation Cup Qualifiers Play-off.SquadGoalkeepers: Shahidul Alam Sohel and Ashraful Islam RanaDefenders: Tapu Barman, Mamun Miah, Ariful Islam, Wali Faisal, Raihan Hasan, Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, Yeamin Munna and Rezaul KarimMidfielders: Pranotosh Kumar, Emon Mahmud, Sohel Rana, Mohammad Abdullah, Mohammad Sohel Rana, Sentu Chandra Sen, Anamul Haque Sharif and Hemanta Vincent BiswasForwards: Nabib Newaj Jibon, Rubel Miah, Shakhawat Hossain Rony, Jafar Iqbal and Didarul Alam
Thursday, June 04, 2026
