Bangladesh will take on Malaysia in the inaugural match of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup 2015 at Sylhet District Stadium on January 29 as the logo-unveiling ceremony of the long-awaited international tournament took place yesterday.
The forthcoming edition of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup will be the beginning of the Bangladesh Football Federation’s project of organising this competition every year for the next five years.
Even though the logo and other details were revealed yesterday, the groupings and draw of the international tournament were already finalised during the recently concluded Extra-Ordinary Congress of the Asian Football Confederation in Melbourne. With the agreement of the six participating teams, hosts Bangladesh were put in Group A alongside Malaysia and Sri Lanka while Group B comprises Bahrain, Singapore and Thailand.
The north-eastern district of Sylhet will host the opener between the home side and Malaysia. Alongside Dhaka, Sylhet was given the nod to be one of the two venues of the tournament, after its successful hosting of the Fifa international friendly between Bangladesh Under-23 and Nepal U-23. A record 50,000 people watched the two teams in action right before the Incheon Asian Games in September.
The Bangabandhu Gold Cup will be held across 11 days. Sylhet and Dhaka will host a group’s matches and one semifinal each. The grand finale will take place in Dhaka.
The logo contains a smiling portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and a football sandwiched by the title of the international tournament in the middle. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, who is also the chairman of the competition’s organising committee, was present as the chief guest at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel yesterday afternoon.
“Football was so popular in the past. The Bangladesh Football Federation is taking initiatives to make it a national sport and bring back the glory days. [BFF president Kazi] Salahuddin and the committee ensured us that this tournament will be held every year for the next five years. I want to thank them for organising it and also for getting me involved,” said the Finance Minister yesterday.
BFF supremo Salahuddin expressed his gratitude to the Finance Minister for the support and also explained the reason behind the groupings. “The groupings were decided in Melbourne. For the draw ceremony, representatives of the participating countries had to come to Dhaka which is not possible for some teams as the Asian Cup is going on. So, the six of us sat together and finalised the draw,” said the BFF boss.
“These kind of international tournaments do not take place often in the world of football. I have an agreement to organise this tournament every year in January for the next five years,” he said before adding, “I hope Bangladesh will at least make it to the semifinals and I shall be very, very happy if we reach the final.”
BFF senior vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedy, Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Arif Khan Joy, Channel 9 managing director Enayetur Rahman Bappy, AB Bank president and managing director Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury, National Bank Ltd managing director and CEO Shamsul Huda Khan and Modhumoti Bank official Mizanur Rahman were also present among others on the occasion.
