Sweden-based footballer Anika Rania Siddiqui trained with Bangladesh’s women’s national team in Dhaka on Wednesday after being invited to a short-term trial as preparations begin for the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia next March.
Bangladesh have started a week-long temporary camp as an early step towards the continental tournament, with Anika’s presence marking a rare inclusion of a Europe-based player in the women’s setup.
Anika holds a Bangladeshi passport, allowing the Bangladesh Football Federation to complete her preliminary registration on the Asian Football Confederation portal. Tournament regulations require initial squad registration one month before the competition. The federation has already listed her, with the understanding that her final selection will depend on her form and fitness during a trial period of around 10 days.
If she satisfies the coaching staff, Anika could be included in the squad for upcoming tours to Thailand and Australia alongside regular national team players such as Rituparna Chakma. Bangladesh’s women’s team has previously featured only one foreign-born player, Japan-based Sumaya Matsushima, despite the men’s side regularly calling up expatriate footballers.
Anika’s late entry into the selection picture, just a month before the Asian Cup, has nonetheless sparked debate within Bangladeshi football. Head coach Peter Butler’s decision to assess her through a trial contrasts with the continued absence of experienced domestic players from the current camp.
Former national team captain Zahid Hasan Emily questioned the consistency of the selection process. “Sabina and Krishna are extremely experienced players,” he said, referring to Sabina Khatun and Krishna Rani Sarkar. “They have performed well in the Bhutan league and in futsal. When they are not even given the chance to attend a minimum camp, it feels like an expression of the coach’s anger. Yet another player is brought in for a trial a month before the tournament. That is double standards.”
In football, the head coach retains full authority over squad selection, tactics and substitutions. At the same time, those decisions are open to scrutiny. Journalists seeking clarification on why Anika has been offered a trial while senior players remain excluded have so far received no clear answers.
Butler departed for Pokhara, Nepal, with Bangladesh’s Under-19 team, limiting opportunities for further questioning. Mahfuza Akhter Kiron, head of the BFF women’s wing, has also not commented on the issue.
