Month-long training for under-20 footballers

Having completed a three-month long talent hunt programme, the Bangladesh District and Divisional Football Association (BDDFA) is all set to provide a month-long training camp to eight divisional teams before beginning the proposed Sheikh Kamal U-20 Football tournament in April.

The BDDFA, in association with the District Football Associations and District Sports Associations, conducted the talent-hunt programme across the country in a bid to form divisional teams for the U-20 football tournament. Through the programme 240 footballers -- 30 from each of the eight divisions --were selected.

“The BDDFA is working to revive the country's football, which has a glorious past. The BDDFA helped districts to complete its leagues and so far, 44 districts completed their respective leagues. We want districts to keep activities going and because of that, we completed the talent-hunt programme in the last three months,” BDDFA secretary general Ruhul Amin Tarafder said at a press conference yesterday.

“We are now going to train those 240 selected footballers for one month, beginning from Wednesday at eight places.

“After the month-long training, each divisional team will feature 19 players as we want to hold a U-20 tournament named after Sheikh Kamal from April,” continued Tarafder, adding that they have appealed to the Bangabandhu Trust for the approval of the tournament's name.

Tarafder went on to inform they would select 50 players from the tournament for training round the year so that those players might get opportunities at the national level.

Tarafder, chairman of Saif SC, also announced that they would hold a club championship this year with the participation of the district league champions.

Former footballers Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, Imtiaz Sultan Jonny, Hasanuzzaman Khan Bablu, organisers Ashikur Rahman Miku, Asaduzzaman Kohinoor and Sirajuddin Mohammad Alamgir, among others, spoke on the occasion.