34-man squad named

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) yesterday announced a 34-member preliminary squad for the training camp for next month's Asian Cup qualifying play-offs against Tajikistan with the inclusion of six new faces.

Bangladesh will play their away match against Tajikistan on June 2 before hosting the Tajiks in Dhaka on June 7. The 34 players have been asked to report to team manager Satyajit Das Rupu tomorrow at the BFF House while head coach Lodewijk de Kruif is supposed to arrive here next Sunday.

“Having discussed with de Kruif, I have initially picked 34 best available players at the moment as some of the players have been suffering from injuries,” said interim coach Saiful Bari Titu. 

The six new players are left-back Khairuzzaman Sabuj of Uttar Baridhara Club, right-winger Koushik Barua of Chittagong Abahani, strikers Mannaf Rabbi and Shaikat Mahmud of Team BJMC, forwards Nurul Absar and Syed Rasel Turzo of Rahmatganj MFS.  

“Though de Kruif suggested me to pick 30 players, I have selected more to give him an opportunity to see the new players, who have performed well in the Independence Cup,” said Titu, who called all the players -- except for injured Atiqur Rahman Fahad and Fazle Rabbi -- from the squad which played the last World Cup qualifying match against Jordan in March.

Players like defenders Nasiruddin Chowdhury, Atiqur Rahman Meshu and Mamun Mia have staged comebacks after recovering from injuries. Meshu and Mamun played all the Independence Cup matches for their respective clubs while Nasir was not eligible to play due to a court verdict.

Though Titu was asked by de Kruif to call all four suspended players -- Mamunul Islam, Zahid Hossain, Sohel Rana and Yeasin Khan -- the game's governing body kept those four players out of the squad as their suspension have not been lifted yet. Only Mamunul and Sohel have so far appealed for lifting suspension. 

SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Rasel Mahmud Liton, Shahidul Alam Sohel, Mazharul Islam Hemel and Ashraful Islam Rana.

Defenders: Raihan Hasan, Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, Tapu Barman, Nasirul Islam, Atiqur Rahman Meshu, Yeamin Ahmed Chowdhury Munna, Mamun Mia, Shakil Ahmed, Mohammad Linkon, Ariful Islam, Kesto Kumar Bosh, Rezaul Karim, Khalekuzzaman Sabuj and Wali Faisal.

Midfielders: Faisal Mahmud, Jamal Bhuiyan, Monaem Khan Raju, Shahedul Alam Shahed Sr, Shahedul Alam, Masuk Miah Jony, Koushik Barua and Emon Mahmud.

Forwards: Jewel Rana, Aminur Rahman Sazib, Rubel Miah, Mannaf Rabby, Nabib Newaz Jibon, Nurul Absar, Shaikat Mahmud and Syed Rashed Turza.