Men's football and kabaddi teams were included while athletics, weightlifting and a one-man rowing team made the cut as the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) finalised the list of teams for the upcoming Asian Games, to be held in Indonesia from August 18 to September 2.

The contingent features a total of 144 members, 114 athletes and 30 officials from 14 disciplines, who were included in the final list, which was decided during a BOA executive committee meeting yesterday. The meeting also decided to exclude the women's football and men's handball teams, though they were initially considered, from the final roster. The final list will be sent to the Asian Games authorities by February 6.

The 14 disciplines are – athletics, men's football, kabaddi (men and women), archery, golf, beach volleyball, weightlifting, shooting, hockey, bridge, wrestling, swimming, basketball and rowing.

From the last edition of the Incheon Games 2014 in South Korea, three disciplines – gymnastics, karate and taekwondo -- were not considered while athletics, golf, swimming, bridge, weightlifting and wrestling have been included, though they were not a part of the contingent in the previous games.

Bangladesh had also participated in wushu, karate and cricket in the last games, but the organisers have decided to postpone these three sports altogether from the games.

The inclusion of rowing was the most surprising one out of all the picks.

“Rowing federation's secretary asked the BOA president to give the discipline a chance. They will choose one candidate for the event. They have promised to win a medal in this discipline,” BOA's deputy general secretary Asaduzzaman Kohinoor said.

“Bangladesh is a riverside country. Yet rowing has always been ignored. If given a chance and proper facilities, rowing can do something good too. That was our point of demand,” said Rowing Federation's general secretary Khorshed Alam. He also hinted that Aminul Islam Mithu of Barisal Rowing Club might be the man chosen for the Bangladesh team.

Both athletics and swimming, not considered the previous time, have been included. The new ad-hoc committee of the Bangladesh Athletics Federation has somewhat got rid of some of the bad reputation it had earned previously, which is the reason of including the event. One male and one female participant will represent Bangladesh in athletics.

Swimming has seen a new light following Mahfuza Khatun Shila's performance in the last SA Games as well as the successful hosting of the nation-wide talent hunt programme. London-based Junaina Ahmed's performance in last national junior swimming competition has probably played a part in including the discipline in the final roster.

The inclusion of the men's football team in place of the women's was no surprise as the BFF had asked the BOA to reconsider its original decision of sending the women's team at the expense of men's, with the BOA recently hinting that it would backtrack from its original decision.

While the handball team's exclusion was supported by most members in the EC meeting, the kabaddi teams' inclusion is also thought to be a popular demand.