Bangladesh Football Federation's vice-president Kazi Nabil Ahmed said they are trying to have the men's football team included in the contingent of the Asian Games, which will take place in Hangzhou, China in September this year.

Nabil told this following a meeting of the National Teams Committee on Sunday, the day after the Bangladesh Olympic Association, in an executive committee meeting, decided to not send the men's team due to a lack of performance.

Saturday's meeting was attended, among others, by Nabil, also a vice-president of BOA, and Mohiuddin Ahmed, another vice-president of BFF. 

Bangladesh made it to the knockout phase of the Asian Games men's football event for the first time during the last edition held in Indonesia in 2018.

Talking to The Daily Star after the meeting, BOA's treasurer AK Sarkar had said, "The decision to send 17 teams at the [Asian] Games still stands, with the addition of boxing."

Asked what was the reason behind omitting the men's team, Sarkar had informed that "the decision was based on the performance of the boys."

However, Nabil said they are in discussion with the BOA to have the men's team onboard.

"We are having talks with the BOA to have our men's team in the Asian Games in Hangzhou," Nabil told reporters.

"There were a lot of issues discussed in the BOA meeting yesterday. We haven't officially been informed of any decision as yet. The press release from BOA says about 17 disciplines, including football. We are hoping the men's team will also be there.

'After seeing media reports, I spoke with the BOA president yesterday evening and told him that the men's team needs to be sent too," Nabil claimed.

Talking to the reporters on Saturday, BFF president Kazi Salahuddin had expressed his displeasure over the decision of the men's team not being included in the Asian Games contingent.