Sylhet Titans adviser Fahim Al Chowdhury struck a confident and emotional note on Tuesday as his side prepared to face Rangpur Riders in the first eliminator of the Bangladesh Premier League.
Speaking to reporters during the match day, Fahim, who had previously sparked controversy by saying the BPL was “not worth counting”, doubled down on his outspoken style while rallying support behind the Sylhet franchise.
“The most important thing is that we do not have time to count any other teams,” Fahim said. “We are Sylheti, and we alone are a hundred. We have the prayers of the people of Sylhet, we are people of Shahjalal’s land. We are very emotional people. We are united. This time we will take the cup back to Sylhet. You are all invited on the 23rd.”
Fahim also reiterated his earlier promise to ensure Sylhet supporters could attend the final in Mirpur if the team qualifies. He said discussions had already taken place with airlines to make the plan a reality.
“We are already talking with US-Bangla Airlines and Novoair,” he said. “If necessary, inshallah, we will book flights. We will also bring people from Sylhet by bus service.”
The comments come despite Fahim having been openly critical of the tournament in the past. Asked again about the standard and organisation of the BPL, he offered a contradictory response.
“The BPL is good… everything is fine. Fine, right,” he said. “I just said that to keep them happy. Nothing is fine.”
As Sylhet fight for survival in the eliminator, Fahim’s remarks reflected both the heightened stakes of the contest and the strong emotional pull the franchise holds for its supporters.
