The Bangladesh national football team have officially begun their training camp ahead of two international friendlies against Nepal, scheduled to take place in Kathmandu during the September FIFA window.
Canadian-based midfielder Shamit Shome has been left out of the preliminary squad due to club commitments, while Hamza Choudhury of Leicester City has been named but remains a doubt for the matches.
Shamit, who plays for Cavalry FC in the Canadian Premier League, has fixtures on 6 and 14 September directly clashing with Bangladesh’s games against Nepal on 6 and 9 September. National team manager Amer Khan explained:
“Shamit has club matches in September. That’s why he hasn’t been included in the preliminary squad. Hamza Choudhury is on the list.”
Under FIFA rules, clubs must release players for official international windows at least 72 hours before a match, but BFF appear unwilling to engage in a dispute with the Canadian club.
“Players are contracted to their clubs, and the federation must also consider the club–player relationship,” Amer added.
There had been uncertainty over Hamza’s availability for the September friendlies, but Amer confirmed that the federation have already contacted Leicester City.
“Hamza is in the coach’s 24-man preliminary squad. A letter has been sent to his club, and discussions are ongoing to bring him in for September,” he said.
Both Hamza and Shamit are seen as key players for Bangladesh’s crucial Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong in October. Playing in the September friendlies would have provided valuable preparation and squad cohesion. With Shamit unavailable, BFF’s immediate focus is securing Hamza’s release.
In a departure from usual practice, BFF have not officially released the full player list despite the camp already being underway. Only five players reported on the first day of training, with Abahani Limited’s squad members currently competing in the AFC Challenge League expected tomorrow, and Bashundhara Kings’ players arriving the day after. Five Abahani players and ten from Kings are likely to be included in the September squad.
Outside of these two clubs, only five players attended camp on day one. Captain Jamal Bhuiyan was absent, having requested an extra day to join the squad. With so few players, Spanish head coach Javier Cabrera could not conduct a full training session, but insisted on beginning camp regardless.
Amer explained the reasoning:
“Other than Abahani and Kings, most clubs have not resumed proper training. The coach called the players early so they could work on gym and fitness sessions in the meantime.”