Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is working towards staging the high-profile clash at the 22,000-capacity stadium.
Bangladesh star Hamza Choudhury was involved in a heated altercation while Burnley fans stormed the pitch to celebrate a Premier League return.
Following Sheffield United midfielder Hamza Choudhury’s debut for Bangladesh against India last month, interest among expatriate footballers in representing the national team has seen a notable rise. Canada-based midfielder Shamit Shome has already expressed his desire to play for Bangladesh.
The National Sports Council (NSC) has called upon all federations in the country to integrate high-skilled athletes of Bangladeshi origin and encourage them to represent Bangladesh.
According to the long-serving captain, the most notable transformation since Hamza’s arrival has been a dramatic rise in team confidence.
The encounter brought together two sides with contrasting ambitions -- Sheffield chasing a return to the Premier League, and Plymouth battling to avoid relegation.
The 26-year-old Hamza, who recently made his debut for Bangladesh in their AFC Cup fixture against India in Shillong, has been a regular starter for the Blades.
Jamal Bhuiyan, the most-capped player in Bangladesh’s history, is slowly becoming a peripheral figure in the team despite being the captain. To know his views on this issue and his overall plans in football, The Daily Star's Anisur Rahman and Atique Anam caught up with the Denmark-born midfielder. Following are the excerpts of the interview.
The 27-year-old, currently a regular for Cavalry FC in the Canadian Premier League, was previously capped twice in friendlies for the Canada senior team in 2020.
“It feels incredible. My heart is pumped,” Hamza told the media in front of Sylhet Osmani International Airport on Monday, his words barely audible over the deafening chants of his name.
In another exciting reveal, Hamza announced that he would wear the No.8 jersey for Bangladesh.
Word of his visit had drawn thousands of eager locals who lined the streets, hoping for a glimpse of the footballer.
Hamza Choudhury was overwhelmed by his ‘long time coming’ homecoming to Bangladesh and said he is optimistic about starting his Bangladesh career with a win over India.
Hamza Choudhury has landed at the Sylhet Osmani International Airport on Monday morning and is heading towards his ancestral village Snanghat of Bahubal Upazila, Habiganj for a long-awaited homecoming.
Excitement and anticipation are at an all-time high in Snanghat village of Bahubal Upazila, Habiganj, as English footballer of Bangladeshi origin, Hamza Choudhury, prepares for a historic visit.
Rahmatganj right-back Mohammad Taj Uddin said he was eager to play alongside Sheffield United’s Hamza Choudhury and looked forward to talking with Hamza in Sylheti.
National team forward Mohammad Ibrahim said all the players are eager for a place in the starting eleven, particularly because the opposition is India, as the men in red and green continue to ramp up preparations in training for their Asian Cup Qualifiers match on March 25 against their neighbours.
The men in red and green are expected to fly out to India on March 19, a day after Hamza Chowdhury is expected to join the team in Dhaka.
Sheffield United midfielder Hamza Choudhury has been named alongside Italy-based young midfielder Fahamedul Islam in the 38-member preliminary squad for Bangladesh’s first Asian Cup Qualifiers match against India, which will be held in Shilong on March 25.
