Faisal, Maraz earn maiden call-ups

Defender Isa Faisal and midfielder Maraz Hossain Opi earned maiden call-ups as the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) announced a 23-member squad for Bangladesh's FIFA friendly matches against hosts Maldives and Mongolia this month.

The team sees a wholesale change from the squad that played in a four-nation tournament in Sri Lanka in November last year. 

Bangladesh head coach Javier Cabrera dropped a total of 12 players from the squad. Defender Tapu Barman and defensive midfielder Hridoy Hossain were left out due to injuries.

The other 10 players who have been dropped are: Rezaul Karim, Yeasin Khan, Shusanto Tripura, Riyadul Hasan Rafi, Obaidur Rahman Nawbab, Faysal Ahmed Fahim, Mahbubur Rahman Sufil, Saad Uddin, Mehedi Hasan Royal. 

Cabrera, meanwhile, called back 10 players into the squad. They are: Bishwanath Gosh, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Rimon Hossain, Sohel Rana, Bipul Ahmed, Masuk Mia, Nabib Newaj Jibon, Nasirul Islam, Raihan Hasan and Jafar Iqbal. 

Bangladesh are scheduled to play Maldives on March 24 at the National Stadium in Male. The national team players will have a three-day training camp from March 19 to 21 at the Bashundhara Kings Arena before leaving Dhaka for Male on March 22.

The team will come back on March 25 and travel to Sylhet on March 26 for their match against Mongolia on March 29. 

Squad: Anisur Rahman (Goalkeeper), Yeasin Arafat (Defender), Bishwanath Ghosh (Defender), Tariq Kazi (Midfielder), Rimon Hossain (Defender), Sohel Rana (Midfielder), Mohammad Atiqur Rahman Fahad (Midfielder), Biplo Ahmed (Midfielder), Masuk Mia Zoni (Midfielder), Mohammad Ibrahim (Midfielder), Suman Reza (Forward), Shahidul Alam (Goalkeeper), Tutul Hossain Badsha (Defender), Rakib Hossain (Midfielder), Jewel Rana (Midfielder), Nabib Newaz (Forward), Nasirul Islam Nasir (Defender), Jamal Bhuiyan (Midfielder), Maraj Hossain Opi (Midfielder), Rayhan Hasan (Defender), Ashraful Islam Rana (Goalkeeper), Jafar Iqbal (Forward) and Isa Faisal (Defender).