Although the BFF had initially decided to send the best and the second best teams to the meets, it has instructed national coach Syed Nayeemuddin to form two teams of similar strength, confirmed BFF's acting general secretary Manzoor Hossain Malu.

Malu, who is also the chairman of the National Team Management Committee, informed yesterday that both the teams would be submitted to the federation by Saturday.

Bangladesh, who play one of the two opening day's matches of the Merdeka Cup against hosts Malaysia on August 20, will also be pitted against African side Lesotho and neighbouring Myanmar in Group A on August 22 and 24 respectively.

Singapore, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Indonesia comprise Group-B.

"We will send both the teams under the national team's banner. I know the strength of the two sides can't be the same but we will try to do our best," said Malu.

The BFF had called the first set of players -- mostly the up and coming players -- for the Nehru Cup to be held in Delhi from August 16-29. However, after receiving the invitation from Malaysia, they chose another set featuring the ex-national stars and those who represented the last national team and wished to retire from international football.

Former Indian international and coach Nayeemuddin, who has been training the total 47 players with help of Hasanuzzaman Babloo -- who will be in charge of one team -- and assistant coaches Golam Jilani and Ujjal Chakrabarty Shibu, now faces the difficult task to divide his boys.

After a week of physical and power training, Nayeemuddin allowed the players to have their first game at the residential camp in BKSP.

Assistant coach Jilani informed that the fitness of the players was satisfactory but they were not given heavy load due to the long league that had ended just before the camp started on August 1.

"We have at least another week to train. They are resting properly and enjoying the food and stay here," told Jilani from BKSP.

"I hope they will not be tired when the tournaments start. We are trying to build two best possible teams but everything depends on the head coach," he added.

Among the 47, Abahani fullback Mintu was unable to train fully as he has been suffering from chest injury.

"Mintu picked up a chest injury during their last match against Muktijoddha. He looks doubtful to be included in the team."

First-choice leftback Wali Faisal, meanwhile, recovered from pain that kept him in the sidelines in Abahani's last two games in the B. League. He also played yesterday.

The only other player missing was Sheikh Russel's centre-back Mahmudul Hassan, who is expected to join the camp today after attending faily affairs following the death of his mother.