Bangladesh’s national football team began full training on 13 August, with all players finally joining the camp after Bashundhara Kings released 10 of their footballers. However, the spotlight was not entirely on the pitch during Tuesday’s session, as much of the attention turned to one name, Hamza.
With two friendlies scheduled for 6 and 9 September against Nepal, the team is set to leave the country on 3 September. Yet, it remains unclear whether Hamza Choudhury, who plays in the English Premier League, will be available during this international window.
When asked about Hamza prior to the training session by Dhaka Post, head coach Javier Cabrera deflected the question, saying, “That’s something for the management. They are looking into it.” Although the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has been in contact with both Hamza and his club, Cabrera maintained that the team is ready regardless of his availability.
“This team is ready for the Nepal tour. If Hamza doesn’t come in the end, it won’t be a problem,” Cabrera said.
However, Topu Barman, who captained the side against Singapore, offered a more candid view. While the coach played down Hamza’s potential absence, Topu admitted it would be a setback.
“To be honest, a lot of our plans start with Hamza. He has a busy schedule, but from what I know, he’s trying to come. If he ultimately can’t make it, yes, it will be a bit difficult for us. But we’ll have to adjust,” he said.
Under FIFA rules, clubs must release players during the official international window, with players required to report for duty at least 48 hours before a match. Failure to comply allows federations to take action. Despite the favourable regulations, BFF has approached the situation with caution.
Team manager Amer Khan stated, “As I said yesterday, it’s still at the same stage. I even spoke to Hamza personally last night, he’s working on it.”
The friendlies in Kathmandu form part of Bangladesh’s preparation for their AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong on 9 October. While the women’s team recently tested themselves against higher-ranked opposition, the men’s side played Bhutan in the June window and will now take on Nepal.
Topu defended the selection of Nepal as opponents, saying, “Nepal and Hong Kong have similar playing styles. Both use a low defensive block. This match will help us prepare for Hong Kong.”
With five days remaining before the opening match on 6 September, Topu believes the squad has enough time to build chemistry.
“You might think it’s not enough, but we’ve been playing together for a while. We’ll have five days to train as a group, that should be sufficient,” he said.
Despite his optimism, the experienced defender raised concerns over the match conditions. “Nepal’s weather and altitude could be factors. I heard their stadium is banned by FIFA or AFC. I’m not sure where we’ll play.”
Although Kathmandu’s Dasharath Stadium is not approved by the AFC for official qualifiers, it remains eligible to host friendlies. Therefore, both matches against Nepal will take place at the Dasharath Stadium.
