Bangladesh midfielder Hamza Choudhury arrived in Dhaka on Monday ahead of the Asian Cup qualifier against India and a friendly against Nepal, continuing a remarkable journey that began when he switched allegiance from England last December. The Leicester City player has already made five appearances for Bangladesh, a reality he still describes as surreal.
Since his arrival, Choudhury has been warmly welcomed by supporters every time he visits the country, something he says continues to feel “unreal.” Speaking at an event on Tuesday morning where he was unveiled as a brand ambassador for telecom company Robi, the 26-year-old reflected on what representing Bangladesh means to him.
“To be honest, it still feels surreal,” Choudhury said. “I just want to be part of this country and represent it with pride, especially for my parents. My father was born and raised here, so seeing the smile on their faces is my greatest reward. Every child wants to make their parents proud, and I feel lucky that I can make an entire nation proud as well.”
This time, Choudhury has travelled alone. “The love I receive here means a lot to me,” he said. “I try to cherish it and share it with everyone. It makes my family want to come back too. Whenever I leave Bangladesh, my children say they want to return. Inshallah, they will be back in March.”
Bangladesh will face Nepal in a friendly on 13 November at the National Stadium, followed by the Asian Cup qualifier against India at the same venue on 18 November. Choudhury made his debut for Bangladesh in March in Shillong, also against India.
