Sports in Bangladesh

Sport in Bangladesh is a popular form of entertainment as well as an essential part of Bangladeshi culture. Kabaddi  is the national sport of Bangladesh. However, Cricket  and Football  are considered as the most popular sports in Bangladesh. Traditional sports like Kabaddi, Kho kho, Boli Khela, Lathi Khela are mostly played in the rural areas while foreign sports like Cricket, football, Hockey, volleyball, handball, Golf, Badminton etc are more popular among the urban folks. The National Sports Council(NSC) is the governing body to control all the sports federations and councils in the country and is responsible to the ministry of youth and sports. There are a total of 42 different sports federations affiliated with the NSC.

Kabaddi

Kabaddi is a very popular game in Bangladesh, especially in the villages. Often called the 'game of rural Bengal', it is now the National Game of Bangladesh. In some areas Kabaddi is still known as [Ha-Du-Du], but Ha-Du-Du had no definite rules and was played with different rules in different areas. [Ha-Du-Du] was renamed Kabaddi and given the status of the National Game in 1972.

The Bangladesh Amateur Kabaddi Federation was formed in 1973. It framed rules and regulations for the national game. In 1974 Bangladesh played a Kabaddi test match with a visiting Indian team, which played test matches with the district teams of Dhaka, Tangail, Dinajpur, Jessore, Faridpur and Comilla. In 1978, the Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation was formed at a conference of delegates from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan in the Indian town of Villai. Kabaddi is one of the most popular games in schools of bangladesh.

In Kabaddi, two teams compete with each other for higher scores, by touching or capturing the players of the opponent team. Each team consists of 12 players, of which seven are on court at a time, and five in reserve. The two teams fight for higher scores, alternating defence and offense. The court is as large as that for a dodge ball game. The game consists of two 20 minute halves, with a break of five minutes for change of sides.The kabaddi playing area is 12.50m x 10m, divided by a line into two halves. The side winning the toss sends a 'raider', who enters the opponents' court chanting, 'kabaddi-kabaddi'. The raider's aim is to touch any or all players on the opposing side, and return to his court in one breath. The person, whom the raider touches, will then be out. The aim of the opposing team, will be to hold the raider, and stop him from returning to his own court, until he takes another breath. If the raider cannot return to his court in the same breath while chanting 'kabaddi', he will be declared out. Each team alternates in sending a player into the opponents' court. If a player goes out of the boundary line during the course of the play, or if any part of his body touches the ground outside the boundary, he will be out, except during a struggle.

 

Kabaddi is a South Asian team sport. The name is derived from the Tamil word (கை-பிடி) "kai" (hand), "pidi" (catch), which is translated into "Holding Hands". Two teams occupy opposite halves of a small swimming pool / field and take turns sending a "raider" into the other half, in order to win points by tackling members of the opposing team; then the raider tries to return to his own half, holding his breath and chanting the word "Kabaddi" during the whole raid. The raider must not cross the lobby unless he touches any of his opponents. If he does so then he will be declared as "out". There is also a bonus line which ensure extra points for the raider if he manages to touch it and return to his side of the field successfully.

In the international team version of kabaddi, two teams of seven members each occupy opposite halves of a field of 10 m × 13 m in case of men and 8 m × 12 m in case of women. Each has three supplementary players held in reserve. The game is played with 20-minute halves and a five-minute halftime break during which the teams exchange sides. Teams take turns sending a "raider" to the opposite team's half, where the goal is to tag or wrestle ("confine") members of the opposite team before returning to the home half. Tagged members are "out" and temporarily sent off the field. The goal of the defenders is to stop the raider from returning to the home side before taking a breath. If any of the seven players cross the lobby without touching the raider he will be declared as "out".

The raider is sent off the field if:

• The raider takes a breath before returning or
• The raider crosses a boundary line or
• A part of the raider's body touches the ground outside the boundary (except during a struggle with an opposing team member).

Each time when a player is "out", the opposing team earns a point. A team scores a bonus of two points, called a "lona", if the entire opposing team is declared "out". At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.

History and development

 

Modern Kabaddi is a synthesis of the game played in various forms under different names. Kabaddi received international exposure during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, demonstrated by Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal, Amaravati, Maharashtra. The game was introduced in the Indian Olympic Games at Calcutta in 1938. In 1950 the All India Kabaddi Federation came into existence and compiled standard rules. The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) was founded in 1973. After formation of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, the first men's nationals were held in Madras (renamed Chennai), while the women's were in Calcutta (renamed Kolkata) in 1955.The AKFI has given new shape to the rules and has the right to modify them. The Asian Kabaddi Federation was founded under the chairmanship of Mr. Janardan Singh Gehlot.Kabaddi was introduced and popularized in Japan in 1979. The Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation sent Professor Sundar Ram of India to tour Japan for two months to introduce the game.In 1979, a return test between Bangladesh and India was held at different places of India including Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Punjab. The Asian Kabaddi Championship was arranged in 1980 and India emerged as champion and Bangladesh runner-up. Bangladesh became runner-up again in 1985 in the Asian Kabaddi Championship held in Jaipur, India. The other teams in the tournament were Nepal, Malaysia and Japan. The game was included for the first time in the Asian Games in Beijing in 1990. India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh took part. India won the gold medal and has also won gold at the following six Asian Games in Hiroshima in 1994, Bangkok in 1998, Busan in 2002, Doha in 2006 and Guangzhou in 2010.An attempt to popularise kabaddi in Great Britain was carried out by Channel 4, who commissioned a programme dedicated to the sport. The programme, Kabaddi in the early 1990s, however, failed to capture viewer attention despite fixtures such as West Bengal Police versus the Punjab. Kabaddi was axed in 1992, but not before its presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy suffered a collapsed lung while participating in the sport.[4][better source needed] Alt-rock band The Cooper Temple Clause formed a kabbadi team in 2001 and were, at one stage, ranked seventh in the British domestic standings.
In the 1998 Asian games held at Bangkok (Thailand), the Indian Kabaddi team clinched the gold medal. The chief coach of the team was former kabaddi player and coach Flt. Lt. S P Singh.

Types of Kabaddi

Amar

In the 'Amar' form of Kabaddi, whenever any player is touched (out), he does not go out of the court, but stays inside, and one point is awarded to the team that touched him. This game is also played on a time basis, i.e. the time is fixed. This form of kabaddi is played in India (Punjab), Canada, England, New Zealand, USA, Pakistan and Australia. In the Amar form of Kabaddi, each team consists of 5–6 stoppers and 4–5 raiders. At one time, only 4 stoppers are allowed to play on the field. Every time a stopper stops the raider from going back to his starting point, that stoppers team gets 1 point. On the other hand, every time the raider tags one of the stoppers and returns to his starting point, his team gets one point.

Sanjeevni

In Sanjeevni Kabaddi, one player is revived against one player of the opposite team who is out, one out, one in. The duration, the number of players, dimensions of the court, etc. have been fixed by the Kabaddi Federation of India. This form of Kabaddi is the closest to the present game. In this form of Kabaddi, players are put out and revived and the game lasts 40 minutes with a 5-minute break in between. There are nine players on each side. The team that puts out all the players on the opponent's side scores four extra points for a 'Lona'. The winning team is the one that scores most points after 40 minutes. The field is bigger in this form of Kabaddi and the 'chant' different in various regions. Modern Kabaddi resembles this form of Kabaddi especially with regard to 'out & in system' and 'Lona'.

Gaminee

This is played with nine players on either side, in a field of no specific measurements. The characteristic is that a player put out has to remain out until all his team members are out. The team that is successful in putting out all the players of the opponent's side secures a point. This is akin to the present system of 'Lona'. After all the players are put out, the team is revived and the game continues. The game continues until five or seven 'Lona' are secured. This form of Kabaddi has no fixed game time. The main disadvantage of Gamines is that the player is not in position to give his best performance since he is likely to remain out for the better part of the match until a Lona is scored.

Cricket

Cricket  is the most popular sport in Bangladesh along with football. There is a strong domestic league which on many occasions also saw Test players from many countries (Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and England) gracing the cricket fields of Bangladesh. In the year 2000 Bangladesh became a full member of the International Cricket Council, which allows the national team to play Test cricket. The Bangladesh national cricket team goes by the nickname of the Tigers - after the Royal Bengal Tiger.

History

 

Cricket  has been played in India since the 18th century and it continued to be played in first Pakistan and then Bangladesh as these countries became politically independent. Bangladesh had staged first-class and even Test cricket when it was part of Pakistan. The Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka was first used for Test cricket when Pakistan played India there in January 1955. It was used for numerous important matches, including Tests, right up to the declaration of independence in 1971. The MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong also dates back to 1954 as a first-class venue but it was not used for Tests until Bangladesh played there in 2001.The beginning of Bangladesh's own first-class era (i.e., as an independent state) began when the national team played England A in Chittagong on 25–27 October 1999. The match was drawn. On 10–13 November 2000, Bangladesh played its inaugural Test Match v India in the Bangabandhu National Stadium. India won by 9 wickets.The 2000-01 season saw the beginning of first-class domestic competition in Bangladesh, although the country had already staged first-class matches against touring teams in the previous year. The Green Delta National Cricket League was constituted as the first-class championship and the Ispahani Mirzapore Tea One-Day League as the premier limited overs competition. In 2000-01, both titles were won by Biman Bangladesh Airlines.The National Cricket League had in fact been inaugurated in the 1999-2000 season but was not then first-class. In 2000-01, eight teams played 12 matches each in two groups. Group A consisted of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Chittagong Division, Rajshahi Division and Dhaka Division. Group B had Dhaka Metropolis, Khulna Division, Barisal Division and Sylhet Division. Four teams qualified for a final stage in which they each played a further 8 games.The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) (known then as the Bangladesh Cricket Control Board) was established in 1972. Bangladesh is a full member of the International Cricket Council and the Asian Cricket Council. The Bangladesh Cricket Control Board was established in 1972. Soon after, a cricket league commenced in Dhaka and Chittagong. A national level cricket tournament begun in the country in 1974-75. During this time the cricket league started at the district (regional) level. Other tournaments that were organised were aimed at school, college, youth and university level.The National Cricket League of Bangladesh is the domestic first class cricket competition in Bangladesh. The One-Day Cricket League of Bangladesh is the principal domestic limited overs cricket competition in Bangladesh. In 2010, the Bangladesh NCL T20 was launched which was a Twenty20 tournament. This tournament was dropped after its first and only season, and was replaced by the Bangladesh Premier League in 2012. The Bangladesh Premier League is a Twenty20 league with six franchises based on the concept of the Indian Premier League and has attracted many international players.

20th century

In 1977, Bangladesh became an Associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC).  Bangladesh was one of fifteen teams to take part in the inaugural ICC Trophy. Held in 1979, it gave non-Test playing countries the opportunity to qualify for that year's World Cup. Bangladesh, under the captaincy of Raqibul Hasan, Bangladesh won two matches and lost two, but failed to progress beyond the first round.Victory in the South-East Asian Cricket Conference Tournament in February 1984 ensured Bangladesh qualified for the 1986 Asia Cup.  On 31 March 1986, Bangladesh played their first One Day International against a full member of the ICC;  Captained by Gazi Ashraf, Bangladesh were dismissed for 94 and Pakistan reached their target for victory with seven wickets in hand.  They lost their second ODI which was against Sri Lanka, finishing last in the three-team tournament.  Bangladesh qualified for the 1988 Asia Cup, this time hosting the tournament; it was the first time ODIs had been staged in the country. Although they lost all their matches, Bangladesh's fixtures were retrospectively awarded ODI. Floods in the preceding months meant the tournament was in doubt, but it went ahead as planned. A charity match raised $70,000 for the flood victims.

Bangladesh took part in the 1990 Austral-Asia Cup the Asia Cup in 1990–91, 1995, and 1997, but it was not until 1998 that they won their first ODI. Their 22-match losing streak since their first ODI was at the time a record. Bangladesh posted its first ODI win against Kenya in India thanks largely to Mohammad Rafique, who contributed a fiery 77 runs and took 3 wickets. In October 1998, Bangladesh hosted (but did not participate in) the first ever ICC KnockOut Trophy (which later became the ICC Champions Trophy), a knock-out ODI tournament featuring all the Test playing nations.

Bangladesh took part in each of the 1982, 1986, 1990, and 1994 editions of the ICC Trophy, and won the trophy in 1997, in the process qualifying for the 1999 World Cup. Bangladesh also became a regular ICC member with the right to play ODIs. Earlier, in February Dhaka hosted the third and final SAARC cricket tournament. Bangladesh played in its first World Cup in England. Bangladesh created an enormous upset by beating Pakistan by 62 runs in the group match at Northampton. Bangladesh made 9/223 from its full 50 overs, and in reply Pakistan could only manage 161 due to timely run-outs by wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud and some tight bowling by Khaled Mahmud, who took 3/31 from 10 overs. Mahmud was judged man of the match. Bangladesh did not qualify for the Super Six round due to defeats in three of its five matches. However, the win over Pakistan, who finished runners-up to Australia, helped Bangladesh to gain Test playing status the following year. Bangladesh had sacked coach Gordon Greenidge on the morning of the match.

Former South Africa Test cricketer Eddie Barlow became Bangladesh's coach in 1999. In preparation for becoming a Test playing country, Bangladesh established its own first-class competition in 1999—2000, although the matches were not given first-class status until the 2000—2001 season. The lack of an established first-class structure in the country until shortly before Bangladesh played its debut Test has been cited as one of the reasons the side struggled to adapt to the longer format of the game. The West Indies toured Bangladesh in October, winning both matches in the ODI series. After suffering a stroke in April 2000, Barlow vacated the position of coach. In May and June 2000, Bangladesh hosted the Asia Cup; Bangladesh lost all three of their matches and when playing Pakistan succumbed to what at the time was the heaviest defeat in ODIs, a margin of 233 runs. Bangladesh participated in the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy in October; their only match ended in defeat to England.

First years as a Test team (2000–2003)

On 13 November 2000, Bangladesh played their inaugural Test match, hosting India in Dhaka. Captained by Naimur Rahman, Bangladesh lost by nine wickets, although Wisden noted that they "surpassed all expectations by matching their neighbours, and at times even enjoying the upper hand".  Aminul Islam Bulbul scored 145 in the first innings, becoming the third person to have scored a century in their team's first Test; Rahman took six wickets for 132 runs, the second-best bowling figures in a country's maiden Test.  In March 2001, former Australian Test cricketer Trevor Chappell was appointed coach.  The following month Bangladesh embarked on a tour of Zimbabwe to play two Tests and three ODIs. Zimbabwe, who at the time were ranked ninth out of the ten Test teams, won all five matches.  Bangladesh took part in the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship, the second and final time the championship was held and the first the team had been eligible to play in. They lost both their matches by an innings. Mohammad Ashraful made his debut in the series and became the youngest player to score a Test century in his first match.  In November, Bangladesh hosted Zimbabwe for two Tests and three ODIs. The opening Test was curtailed by bad weather and ended in a draw; after losing their first five Tests, it was the first time Bangladesh had avoided defeat. Zimbabwe won all the remaining matches. After the Test series wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud replaced Rahman as captain.  The following month Bangladesh journeyed to New Zealand for two Test matches. Bangladesh's batsmen struggled in unfamiliar conditions and the team slumped to two innings defeats.

In January 2002 Bangladesh lost two Tests and three ODIs against Sri Lanka. At this point, they had lost ten of their first eleven Tests; only South Africa had struggled as much in their introduction to Test cricket, also losing ten of their first eleven matches. Chappell blamed Bangladesh's batsmen for the loss, saying "they commit the same mistakes again and again, and need to learn to apply themselves, to bat in sessions". In April, former Pakistan Test cricketer Mohsin Kamal replaced Chappell as coach. When Bangladesh toured Sri Lanka in July and August they were on the receiving end of Sri Lanka's largest margin of victory in Test cricket: an innings and 196 runs. Bangladesh lost both Tests and all three ODIs on the tour, recording their 50th defeat in 53 ODIs. Repeated poor performances prompted people to question whether Bangladesh had been granted Test status too soon. Test and ODI whitewashes followed in South Africa in October. Wisden noted that "Time and again ... came the mantra that [Bangladesh] would learn from the experience, that they could only improve by playing against the best, that there was genuine talent in the squad. But it wore thin." The final defeat set a record for most consecutive losses in ODIs (23), beating the previous record which was also held by Bangladesh. When the West Indies toured in November and December, Bangladesh lost both Test and two out of the three ODIs, and one ended in no result. South Africa hosted the 2003 World Cup in February and March. Bangladesh lost five of their six matches (one ended in no result), including fixtures against Canada, who hadn't played international cricket since the 1979 World Cup, and Kenya who eventually made the semifinals of the tournament.

Under Dav Whatmore (2003–2007)

In the aftermath of Bangladesh's World Cup campaign, Khaled Mahmud replaced Khaled Mashud as captain,  and Kamal was sacked as coach with Dav Whatmore taking over the role.  Whatmore was not able to begin the job immediately, so Sarwar Imran acted as interim coach during Bangladesh's tour of South Africa in April and May.  In 2003 Bangladesh played nine Test and 21 ODIs, losing every match apart from an ODI against West Indies which ended in no result.  In September, Bangladesh came very close to its first Test victory, when it lost to Pakistan by only one wicket. It was just the tenth time in Test history that a team had lost by a single wicket.  In series against Pakistan, Alok Kapali became the first Bangladesh player to take a hat-trick  in Test cricket, dismissing Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria, and Umar Gul.  When England toured Bangladesh October and November, Bangladesh's captain, Mahmud, was booed. Ahead of Bangladesh's tour of Zimbabwe in February and March the next year, he was dropped from the squad and batsman Habibul Bashar was granted the captaincy.  At the time, Zimbabwe were without many of their senior players. Bangladesh lost the Test series 1–0, and the ODI series 2–1.  The second Test was drawn  and brought to an end their run of 21 consecutive defeats dating back to November 2001, a world record in Test cricket.  The solitary ODI victory was Bangladesh's first international win since defeating Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup.

Batsman Habibul Bashar was appointed Bangladesh's captain in 2004.

Bangladesh's next matches were against the West Indies in May and June. Bangladesh lost the ODI series 3–0 and the Test series 1–0; by drawing the first match, Bangladesh managed to avoid defeat for just the third time in 29 Tests.  In December, Bangladesh defeated India in its hundredth ODI, this being only the third time that it had won against a Test playing nation.
In January 2005, Zimbabwe toured Bangladesh for two Tests and five ODIs. The touring Zimbabwe side had suffered due to player disputes which in 2004 had led to the country's temporary suspension from Test cricket. Of Zimbabwe's 16-man squad, only their captain had played more than nine Tests; Bangladesh were the more experienced team. In the first match, Bangladesh secured their maiden victory in Test cricket. Bangladesh's batsmen secured a draw in the second Test by batting out the final five session after coach Dav Whatmore had opined that "Zimbabwe will win, unless our batsmen do something special". In the match – which helped secure a historic first series victory for Bangladesh – Enamul Haque Jr broke his own bowling record for best figures in an innings for Bangladesh by taking 7 wickets for 95 runs, and secured the best figures in a match for Bangladesh: 12 wickets for 200 runs. In the ODI series that followed, Zimbabwe won the opening two contests, and Bangladesh won the final three to take the series.
After their maiden Test victory, Bangladesh embarked on its first tour of England in May and June 2005. The team faced unfamiliar conditions and the batsmen struggled against seam bowling. Bangladesh lost both matches in the Test series by an innings; the second Test was the 22nd time it had happened in 38 Tests. Pundits Mike Atherton and Richie Benaud criticised the team's performances and suggested Bangladesh was not yet suited to Test cricket. A triangular series with England and Australia followed. Bangladesh won just one match out of six, but their solitary victory was against an Australian side that at the time were world champions in what Wisden described as "the biggest upset in one-day international history". Mohammad Ashraful scored his first century in that match with a score of exactly 100, which was enough to take the team to victory and then played a blistering knock of 94 off 53 balls against England the following match. Bangladesh's next fixture was in Sri Lanka in September for two Tests and three ODIs. After the one-off victory against Australia in England, Bangladesh were a more confident team however Sri Lanka won all five matches by large margins. Captain Habibul Bashar lamented his side's defeat, describing it as "the worst tour since I took over the captaincy".
The first home One-Day International series of 2006 began with some optimism for Bangladesh, which registered its first-ever win against Sri Lanka in the second ODI of the series. At the end of March, Bangladesh played four ODIs against Kenya, winning all four. Then in April, Bangladesh came very close to beating Australia in a Test match, taking a first-innings lead of 158, and eventually losing by only three wickets. At the end of July, Bangladesh toured Zimbabwe as the ODI series favourites but lost 3–2. In August, the team defeated Kenya in all three matches of a series and subsequently went on to whitewash Zimbabwe in an ODI series staged in Bangladesh. That year, Shahriar Nafees became the first Bangladeshi to score over a thousand runs (which included three centuries) in a calendar year while Mashrafe Mortaza became the leading wicket-taker in the world in ODIs staged in 2006 with 49 wickets.
India hosted the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy in October and November. Bangladesh failed to progress beyond the group stages, losing two of their three matches. Their only victory came against Zimbabwe. Ahead of the World Cup Bangladesh faced Zimbabwe in nine ODIs, Scotland in two, and Bermuda and Canada one each; of those matches, Bangladesh lost a single ODI to Zimbabwe. On 17 March, in their first match of the 2007 World Cup, hosted by the West Indies, Bangladesh secured a five-wicket win over India; the surprise result triggered late night partying in Bangladesh despite government bans on public gatherings. In their remaining group matches Bangladesh lost to Sri Lanka and defeated Bermuda which was enough to secure qualification for the second round while India were knocked out. Bangladesh's only victory in the Super Eights was against South Africa, losing to everyone else including Ireland, a team mostly made up of amateur cricketers.

Mohammad Ashraful took over from Habibul Bashar as captain in 2007.

Banglaesh's next fixture after the World Cup was a home series against India in May, with two Tests and three ODIs. After Bangladesh had helped knock India out of the tournament, the series was seen as an opportunity for India to exact revenge. Bangladesh had not played Test cricket since April 2006. The first Test was shortened due to rain and drawn, but India won the second by their largest ever margin. India won the ODI series 3–0. In the aftermath Habibul Bashar, who had previously resigned as ODI captain, was replaced as captain by 22-year-old Mohammad Ashraful in all forms of the game. Mashrafe Mortaza was appointed vice-captain. After four years as coach Whatmore chose not to extend his contract, and Shaun Williams temporarily filled the position. Ashraful's first series in charge was a tour of Sri Lanka in June and July. Bangladesh suffered defeat in each of the three Tests, losing by an innings on every occasion, and three ODIs. In the second Test, Bangladesh were bundled out for their lowest total (62).

Under Jamie Siddons (2007–2011)

South Africa hosted the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 in September. In a match against Bangladesh, Australian fast bowler Brett Lee took the first ever Twenty20 International (T20I) hat-trick. Bangladesh defeated the West Indies to progress to the second stage of the tournament, however it was the only match they won in the tournament.  Jamie Siddons was appointed coach in October.  At the end of 2007 Bangladesh toured New Zealand. Bangladesh was soundly beaten 3–0 in the one dayers. The third match was the largest defeat in the history of ODI cricket for a side batting first.Bangladesh started the year 2008 with a tour of New Zealand. The Test matches were one sided, with Bangladesh losing 2–0. South Africa toured Bangladesh and won all matches, including both Tests and all three ODIs. Bangladesh then beat non-Test-playing Ireland 3–0 in an ODI series.In October, New Zealand toured Bangladesh for three ODIs and two Tests. Shortly before the tour, fourteen Bangladesh players left to play in the Indian Cricket League and were subsequently banned for ten years. Six of the players were centrally contracted, including former captain Habibul Bashar. With a less experienced team than usual and a poor record against New Zealand, Bangladesh were expected to lose heavily. After winning the opening ODI, Bangladesh went on to lose series 2–1. New Zealand won the first Test by three wickets in what their coach, John Bracewell, described as "one of the great character wins".

Bangladeshi cricketers returning to the dressing room at Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium, Dhaka amid an ODI match with Zimbabwe in January 2009.

New Zealand also won the second Test, taking the series 2–0, but in the process Shakib Al Hasan emerged as an all-rounder. Having previously been selected primarily as a batsmen, he went on to take the best bowling figures in an innings for a Bangladesh player, 7 wickets for 36 runs, beating the record set by Enamul Haque Jr three years earlier. In November, Bangladesh toured South Africa. They lost all their matches to South Africa, including the only T20I match, two of the three ODIs (the third being washed out due to rain) and both Tests. In December, however, Bangladesh bounced back from the previous lacklustre performances by threatening to win the first Test match against Sri Lanka by chasing down the highest fourth innings of total of 513. Though they fell 107 runs short, their performances were praised but in the second match of the home series in January, Bangladesh fell to an innings defeat.

The year 2009 started with the innings defeat in the 2nd Test match against Sri Lanka. Then Zimbabwe joined the hosts and the Lankan team for a tri-series tournament, which proved to be more evenly matched than was expected. In the first match, Zimbabwe defeated Bangladesh by an excellent performance but then fell to defeat by a huge margin by Sri Lanka leaving Bangladesh needing to win against the Lankans in the last match in order to go through to the finals to join the Lankans, and that also with a bonus point.

After the World T20 championships in England, the selectors appointed Mashrafe Mortaza as the new captain of the team for the tour to the West Indies so that Ashraful could focus on his batting. The two Test series was played amidst controversy when a pay dispute between the West Indian players and the West Indies Cricket Board led a number of West Indian players boycotting the series, which forced the West Indies to select a number of inexperienced players as replacements. Bangladesh went on to win both of the Tests, winning the first Test by 95 runs and the second by four wickets. In the process they achieved their first ever overseas Test series victory.

Shakib Al Hasan captained Bangladesh during their historic Test series win against West Indies in 2009.

In the ODI series which followed Bangladesh secured their first ever ODI win against the West Indies at the 14th attempt.  Bangladesh won the series 3–0,  but lost the only Twenty20 match.  In November, Shakib was named The Wisden Cricketer's "Test Player of the Year".
In January 2010, Bangladesh hosted a tri-series ODI tournament with India and Sri Lanka. They failed to win a match and went out of the tournament. They lost the two match Test series against India by 2–0. In March 2010, England visited Bangladesh to play three ODIs and two Test matches. Bangladesh lost all their ODIs and Tests in the series. In April, Bangladesh took part in the 2010 World Twenty20. They lost all their matches and failed to progress to the Super Eights stage. In May and June, Bangladesh played two Test matches against England away, losing both, although Tamim Iqbal scored two centuries in the series. Between the Tests and ODIs against England, Bangladesh took part in the 2010 Asia Cup during June, but lost all their matches. In the ODI series, England comfortably won the first match. However, in the second match at Bristol, Bangladesh beat England for the first time in international cricket (England were the only Test playing nation yet to be beaten by Bangladesh), bowling England out in the final over to win by five runs.
In October New Zealand went to Bangladesh for five ODIs. Mortaza suffered an injury in the first match and Shakib took over as captain. Under his leadership Bangladesh won the series 4–0, securing their first series victory against a full strength ICC Full Member nation. Although unable to play against New Zealand due to injury, while the series was in progress Tamim Iqbal was named The Wisden Cricketer's "Test Player of the Year". In December Bangladesh hosted Zimbabwe for five ODIs. After losing the opening match, Bangladesh went on to win the next three complete matches, with one called off due to rain, to beat Zimbabwe 3–1.
In February and March 2011, Bangladesh co-hosted the World Cup with India and Sri Lanka. West Indies dismissed Bangladesh for 58 runs, the team's lowest score in ODIs and a record low for a Full Member at the World Cup. The West Indies and Bangladesh team buses were stoned as they left the ground, and so was Shakib's house. Bangladesh beat England, Ireland, and the Netherlands, making their final match of the first round a must-win contest. Against South Africa, Bangladesh succumbed to a their second-largest defeat in ODIs and became the first Full Member team to be bowled out for under 100 twice in World Cups, thereby failing to progress to the second stage of the tournament. After the World Cup, Siddons' contract was allowed to lapse. During his three-and-a-half year tenure as coach Siddons introduced a full coaching staff for the first time, including coaches for bowling, strength and conditioning, and fielding. Under Siddons Bangladesh's reliance on spin bowlers continued, partly because pitches in the country encourage spin bowlers, and frequently only two seam bowlers were used in a match. Siddons was credited with helping the team improve mentally.

Under Stuart Law (2011–2012)

Wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim was named captain in September 2011.

A lengthy hunt for a head coach followed Siddons' exit encountering the names of Vincent Barnes and Stuart Law as possible appointees.  Law, who at the time was the acting head coach of Sri Lanka following Trevor Bayliss' departure, was named Bangladesh's new head coach in June.  Bangladesh toured Zimbabwe in August for a one-off Test and five ODIs.  The Test marked Zimbabwe's return to the longest-format of the game after a self-imposed withdrawal in January 2006 as the sport in the country was in a state of disarray. Bangladesh lost the match by 130 runs.  Though they were expected to with the Test and the ODIs, Bangladesh lost the subsequent one-day series 3–2. In the aftermath of the series, Shakib was sacked as captain, with a BCB representative citing his poor leadership.  Later that month, wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim was named captain, with all-rounder Mahmudullah  as his deputy.  Bangladesh' struggles at international level have been epitomised by the ineffectiveness of their fast bowlers. Between January 2010 and August 2011, they took 37 wickets in 8 Tests at an average of 67.67, the worst out of the nine teams playing regular Test cricket in this period.Though Bangladesh won Rahim's first match in charge, a T20I against the West Indies in October, the team lost the subsequent ODI series 2–1 and the two-match Test series 1–0. Pakistan toured in December, and during the first of three ODIs Bangaldesh were dismissed for their 13th score of less than 100 in the format, overtaking Zimbabwe's record of 12 times. In March Bangladesh hosted in the 2012 Asia Cup featuring India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh entered the tournament with just two wins from 29 Asia Cup matches. Victories against India and Sri Lanka saw Bangladesh face Pakistan in the final, only the second time the team had reached the final of a multi-national competition. Though Pakistan won the final by two runs, Bangladesh had exceeded expectations. During the tournament, Tamim Iqbal became the first Bangladeshi player to score four consecutive fifties in ODIs. Shakib Al Hasan was named man of the series after contributing with both the bat and the ball, making 237 runs and taking 6 wickets respectively. The following month Law announced he would be stepping down as coach in June when his contract was due to expire for personal reasons

National teams

 

The Bangladesh national cricket team is a national cricket team representing Bangladesh. The team is administered by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Bangladesh is a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) with Test and One Day International (ODI) status. It played its first Test match in 2000 against India in Dhaka, becoming the tenth Test cricket playing nation.Bangladesh's first official foray into international cricket came in the 1979 ICC Trophy in England, leaving the tournament with 2 wins and 2 defeats.

Bangladesh made debut in international cricket through Asia cup in 1986.

On 31 March 1986, Bangladesh played in its first ODI match against Pakistan in the 1986 Asia Cup. Cricket has gradually become very popular in urban areas of the country. Although football was the most popular game for a long time, cricket gained momentum and soon surpassed football, especially after Bangladesh won the 1997 ICC Trophy in Malaysia. By winning the tournament, Bangladesh qualified for the 1999 Cricket World Cup for the first time, where they defeated Pakistan, creating one of the biggest upsets in their cricketing history. In 1997, Bangladesh became a regular ICC member with the right to play ODIs. It attained the status of a Test playing country on 26 June 2000.

Bangladesh holds the record for most consecutive losses in Tests (21 between 1999 and 2002) and ODIs (23 between 2001 and 2004). After gaining full member status with the ICC, Bangladesh had to wait until 2004 for its first ODI win since the 1999 World Cup. The team on the losing side on that occasion was Zimbabwe, who also participated in Bangladesh's maiden Test victory in 2005; by securing a draw in the second match, Bangladesh won their first Test series. In 2009 Bangladesh toured the West Indies for two Tests and by winning both secured their first overseas series victory.

As of April 2012, Bangladesh has played 73 Tests, winning only 3. Its first victory was against a young and inexperienced Zimbabwe team, which was hit by a player crisis and the other two were against a West Indian team crippled by a players' strike. Of the 63 matches it has lost, 35 were by an innings. The lack of a first-class tournament in the country before it was granted Test status has been cited as one of the reasons for the side's struggle to adapt to the longest form of the game, and Bangladesh's performance has led to repeated calls for it to lose its Test status. The team has been more successful in ODIs, having won 72 of its 262 matches, and has also played 18 Twenty20 Internationals, winning four.

The following is a list of the 15 players awarded central contracts by the Bangladesh Cricket Board and others who have represented Bangladesh since AFC Asia Cup 2012 .

Name	Age	Batting style	Bowling style	C/G	Domestic team	Forms of cricket
Wicket-keeper and captain
Mushfiqur Rahim	24	Right handed	—	A+	Rajshahi Division	Test, ODI, T20I
All-rounder and vice-captain
Mahmudullah	26	Right handed	Right arm off break	A	Dhaka Division	Test, ODI, T20I
Opening batsmen
Imrul Kayes	25	Left handed	—	A	Khulna Division	Test, ODI, T20I
Tamim Iqbal	23	Left handed	Right arm off break	A+	Chittagong Division	Test, ODI, T20I
Shahriar Nafees	27	Left handed	Slow left arm orthodox	–	Barisal Division	Test, ODI
Junaid Siddique	25	Left handed	Right arm off break	–	Rajshahi Division	ODI
Nazimuddin	27	Right handed	Right arm medium	Rookie	Chittagong Division	Test, ODI
Middle order batsmen
Mohammad Ashraful	28	Right handed	Right arm leg break/off break	–	Dhaka Metropolis	Test, ODI, T20I
Anamul Haque	20	Right handed	–	–	Khulna Division	ODI
Shuvagata Hom	26	Right handed	Right arm off break	Rookie	Dhaka Division	ODI
Jahurul Islam	26	Right handed	Right arm off break	C	Rajshahi Division	ODI
All-rounders
Shakib Al Hasan	25	Left handed	Slow left arm orthodox	A+	Khulna Division	Test, ODI, T20I
Nasir Hossain	21	Right handed	Right arm medium-fast/off break	C	Rangpur Division	Test, ODI, T20I
Naeem Islam	26	Right handed	Right arm off break	–	Rangpur Division	Test, ODI, T20I
Alok Kapali	29	Right handed	Right arm leg break	–	Sylhet Division	ODI, T20I
Farhad Reza	26	Right handed	Right arm fast-medium	–	Rajshahi Division	ODI, T20I
Pace bowlers
Nazmul Hossain	25	Right handed	Right arm fast-medium	B	Sylhet Division	Test, ODI
Rubel Hossain	23	Right handed	Right arm fast	B	Chittagong Division	Test, ODI, T20I
Shahadat Hossain	26	Right handed	Right arm fast	–	Dhaka Division	Test, ODI
Shafiul Islam	23	Right handed	Right arm fast-mediun	B	Rajshahi Division	ODI, T20I
Abul Hasan	20	Left handed	Right arm fast-mediun	–	Sylhet Division	Test, ODI, T20I
Mashrafe Mortaza	29	Right handed	Right arm fast-medium	A+	Khulna Division	ODI, T20I
Spin bowlers
Abdur Razzak	30	Left handed	Slow left arm orthodox	A+	Khulna Division	ODI, T20I
Suhrawadi Shuvo	24	Left handed	Slow left arm orthodox	–	Rangpur Division	Test, ODI
Sohag Gazi	21	Right handed	Right arm off break	–	Barisal Division	Test, ODI
Elias Sunny	25	Left handed	Slow left arm orthodox	Rookie	Dhaka Metropolis	Test, ODI, T20I

Coaching staff

• Head Coach : Shane Jurgensen (interim)
• Manager : Zahid Razzak
• Bowling Coach : Saqlain Mushtaq & Shane Jurgensen
• Fielding Coach : Jason Swift
• Strength and Conditioning Coach : Grant Trafford Luden
• Physiotherapist : Vibhav Singh
• Psychologists : Dr. Soumendra Saha & Dr. Srilekha Saha
• Media Manager : Rabeed Imam

Tournament history

World Cup record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR
1975	Not eligible
1979	Did not qualify
1983	Did not qualify
1987	Did not qualify
1992	Did not qualify
1996	Did not qualify
1999	Round 1	9/12	5	2	3	0	0
2003	Round 1	13/14	6	0	5	0	1
2007	Second Round	7/16	9	3	6	0	0
2011	Round 1	9/14	6	3	3	0	0
2015	Qualified	–	–	–	–	–	–
2019	Qualified	–	–	–	–	–	–
Total			26	8	17	0	1

World Twenty20 record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR
2007	Second Round	8/12	5	1	4	0	0
2009	Round 1	9/12	2	0	2	0	0
2010	Round 1	9/12	2	0	2	0	0
2012	Round 1	9/12	2	0	2	0	0
2014	Qualified	-	-	-	-	-	-
Total			11	1	10	0	0

Asia Cup record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR
1984	Did not qualify
1986	First Round	3/3	2	0	2	0	0
1988	First Round	4/4	3	0	3	0	0
1990–91	First Round	3/3	2	0	2	0	0
1995	First Round	4/4	3	0	3	0	0
1997	First Round	4/4	3	0	3	0	0
2000	First Round	4/4	3	0	3	0	0
2004	Second Round	4/6	5	1	4	0	0
2008	Second Round	4/6	5	1	4	0	0
2010	First Round	4/4	3	0	3	0	0
2012	Runner Up	2/4	4	2	2	0	0
Total			33	4	29	0	0

Multisport Events
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR
1998 Commonwealth Games	Round 1	14/16	3	0	3	0	0
2010 Asian Games	Champions	1/9	3	3	0	0	0
2014 Asian Games	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Other Major Tournament
ICC Champions Trophy
1998: Not eligible 2000: 10th Place 2002: 11th Place 2004: 11th Place 2006: 9th Place 2009: Did not qualify

Asian Test Championship

• 2001/02: First Round

ACC Trophy

• 1996: Winners
• 1998: Winners
• 2000 onwards: Not eligible – Now an ICC full member

Austral-Asia Cup

• 1986: Did not participate
• 1990: First Round
• 1994: Did not participate

Records

 Most runs for Bangladesh
-->

#	Tests				ODIs				T20Is
	Player	Matches	Runs	Average	Player	Matches	Runs	Average	Player	Matches	Runs	Average
1	Habibul Bashar	50	3,026	30.89	Shakib Al Hasan	126	3,635	35.63	Mohammad Ashraful	16	289	18.06
2	Mohammad Ashraful	57	2,419	22.60	Mohammad Ashraful	169	3,397	22.64	Aftab Ahmed	11	228	22.80
3	Tamim Iqbal	24	1,748	38.00	Tamim Iqbal	113	3,368	30.07	Shakib Al Hasan	16	214	13.37
4	Javed Omar	40	1,720	22.05	Shahriar Nafees	75	2,201	31.44	Tamim Iqbal	15	204	13.60
5	Shakib Al Hasan	26	1,630	34.68	Habibul Bashar	111	2,168	21.68	Nazimuddin	7	178	25.42
6	Mushfiqur Rahim	28	1,480	29.01	Mushfiqur Rahim	108	2,047	25.27	Mashrafe Mortaza	13	141	15.66
7	Khaled Mashud	44	1,409	19.04	Aftab Ahmed	85	1,954	24.73	Mushfiqur Rahim	17	136	13.60
8	Rajin Saleh	24	1,141	25.93	Khaled Mashud	126	1,818	21.90	Junaid Siddique	5	134	26.80
9	Shahriar Nafees	21	1,126	26.80	Mahmudullah	80	1,427	31.02	Naeem Islam	9	112	14.00
10	Mohammad Rafique	33	1,059	18.57	Imrul Kayes	48	1,315	27.97	Mahmudullah	12	81	6.75

 Most wickets for Bangladesh -->

Most wickets for Bangladesh

#	Tests				ODIs				T20Is
	Player	Matches	Wickets	Average	Player	Matches	Wickets	Average	Player	Matches	Wickets	Average
1	Mohammad Rafique	33	100	40.76	Abdur Razzak	133	185	28.12	Abdur Razzak	15	23	16.52
2	Shakib Al Hasan	28	102	35.98	Shakib Al Hasan	126	160	28.85	Shakib Al Hasan	16	21	17.95
3	Mashrafe Mortaza	36	78	41.52	Mashrafe Mortaza	122	156	30.31	Mashrafe Mortaza	13	10	43.50
4	Shahadat Hossain	33	68	49.79	Mohammad Rafique	123	119	38.75	Mohammad Ashraful	16	8	26.25
5	Enamul Haque Jr	14	41	39.24	Khaled Mahmud	77	67	42.76	Shahadat Hossain	5	4	36.00
6	Tapash Baisya	21	36	59.36	Syed Rasel	52	61	33.62	Farhad Reza	8	4	43.75
7	Mohammad Manjural Islam	17	28	57.37	Tapash Baisya	56	59	41.55	Syed Rasel	8	4	50.50
8	Mahmudullah	45	51	35.96	Shafiul Islam	56	59	41.55	Shafiul Islam	5	3	35.00
9	Mohammad Ashraful	57	20	60.40	Rubel Hossain	37	48	32.77	Naeem Islam	9	3	40.66
10	Enamul Haque	10	18	57.05	Shahadat Hossain	50	46	45.04	Rubel Hossain	5	3	47.33

-->

Playing Record
Format	M	W	L	T	D/NR	Inaugural Match
Test Matches	73	3	63	0	7	10 November 2000
One-Day Internationals	258	70	186	0	2	31 March 1986
Twenty20 Internationals	18	4	14	0	0	28 November 2006

vs Test nations
Opponent	M	W	L	T	D	First win
v  India	7	0	6	0	1
v  Zimbabwe	9	1	5	0	3	10 January 2005
v  Pakistan	8	0	8	0	0
v  Sri Lanka	12	0	10	0	2
v  New Zealand	9	0	8	0	1
v  South Africa	8	0	8	0	0
v  West Indies	8	2	4	0	2	13 July 2009
v  Australia	4	0	4	0	0
v  England	8	0	6	0	2

Bangladesh Test match captains
Number	Name	Year	Opposition	Location	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn
1	Naimur Rahman	2000–01	India	Bangladesh	1	0	1	0
		2000/1	Zimbabwe	Zimbabwe	2	0	2	0
		2001/2	Pakistan	Pakistan	1	0	1	0
		2001/2	Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	1	0	1	0
		2001–02	Zimbabwe	Bangladesh	2	0	1	1
		Total			7	0	6	1
2	Khaled Mashud	2001/2	New Zealand	New Zealand	2	0	2	0
		2001–02	Pakistan	Bangladesh	2	0	2	0
		2002	Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	2	0	2	0
		2002/3	South Africa	South Africa	2	0	2	0
		2002–03	West Indies	Bangladesh	2	0	2	0
		2004–05	New Zealand	Bangladesh	2	0	2	0
		Total			12	0	12	0
3	Khaled Mahmud	2003	South Africa	Bangladesh	2	0	2	0
		2003	Australia	Australia	2	0	2	0
		2003	Pakistan	Pakistan	3	0	3	0
		2003–04	England	Bangladesh	2	0	2	0
		Total			9	0	9	0
4	Habibul Bashar	2003/4	Zimbabwe	Zimbabwe	2	0	1	1
		2004	West Indies	West Indies	2	0	1	1
		2004–05	India	Bangladesh	2	0	2	0
		2004–05	Zimbabwe	Bangladesh	2	1	0	1
		2005	England	England	2	0	2	0
		2005/6	Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	2	0	2	0
		2005–06	Sri Lanka	Bangladesh	2	0	2	0
		2005–06	Australia	Bangladesh	2	0	2	0
		2007	India	Bangladesh	2	0	1	1
		Total			18	1	13	4
5	Mohammad Ashraful	2007	Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	3	0	3	0
		2007/8	New Zealand	New Zealand	2	0	2	0
		2007/8	South Africa	Bangladesh	2	0	2	0
		2008/9	New Zealand	Bangladesh	2	0	1	1
		2008/9	South Africa	South Africa	1	0	1	0
		Total			10	0	9	1
6	Mashrafe Mortaza	2009	West Indies	West Indies	1	1	0	0
		Total			1	1	0	0
7	Shakib Al Hasan (stand in for two matches against West Indies due to Mortaza's injury)	2009	West Indies	West Indies	1	1	0	0
		2010	New Zealand	New Zealand	1	0	1	0
		2010	India	Bangladesh	2	0	2	0
		2010	England	Bangladesh	2	0	2	0
		2010	England	England	2	0	2	0
		2011	Zimbabwe	Zimbabwe	1	0	1	0
Total			9	1	8	0
Grand total					69	3	60	6

Bangladeshi ODI captains
Number	Name	Year	Played	Won	Tied	Lost	No result
1	Gazi Ashraf	1986-1990	7	0	0	7	0
2	Minhajul Abedin	1990	2	0	0	2	0
3	Akram Khan	1995-1998	15	1	0	14	0
4	Aminul Islam	1998-2000	16	2	0	14	0
5	Naimur Rahman	2000–2001	4	0	0	4	0
6	Khaled Mashud	2001-2006	30	4	0	24	2
7	Khaled Mahmud	2003	15	0	0	15	0
8	Habibul Bashar	2004-2007	69	29	0	40	0
9	Rajin Saleh	2004	2	0	0	2	0
10	Mohammad Ashraful	2007–2009	38	8	0	30	0
11	Shakib Al Hasan	2009–2011	47	22	0	25	0
12	Mushfiqur Rahim	2011–present	3	1	0	2	1

Here is some info about Bangladesh Cricket
1979	Played First Internatinal Match
1999	Played first World cup
2000	Played First test match
2005	Beat Austrlia the number 1 team in England
2007	Beat india and south Africa in World cup 2007
2009	First time won a test series against West Indies

 

Bangladesh Players

 

Abdur Razzak	Abul Hasan	Aftab Ahmed
Alok Kapali	Anamul Haque	Dhiman Ghosh
Dolar Mahmud	Elias Sunny	Enamul Haque
Enamul Haque jnr	Faisal Hossain	Farhad Reza
Imrul Kayes	Jahurul Islam	Junaid Siddique
Mahbubul Alam	Mahmudullah	Mashrafe Mortaza
Mehrab Hossain jnr	Mohammad Ashraful	Mominul Haque
Mosharraf Hossain	Mushfiqur Rahim	Naeem Islam
Nasir Hossain	Nazimuddin	Nazmul Hossain
Nazmus Sadat	Rajin Saleh	Raqibul Hasan
Robiul Islam	Rubel Hossain	Sajidul Islam
Shafiul Islam	Shahadat Hossain	Shahriar Nafees
Shakib Al Hasan	Shuvagoto Hom	Sohag Gazi
Suhrawadi Shuvo	Syed Rasel	Tamim Iqbal
Ziaur Rahman

 

 

Football

The Bangladesh national football team is the national team of Bangladesh controlled by the Bangladesh Football Federation. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation and has yet to qualify for the World Cup finals. They were dismissed in the first round of their only Asian Cup appearance to date in 1980, and have been South Asian champions once, defeating the Maldives in the final via penalties, as hosts in 2003. As is the case elsewhere on the subcontinent, top-level football in Bangladesh is played somewhere in the shadow of the country's test cricket team.

History

 

The 1970s

Following her independence from Pakistan  achieved at the end of 1971, the Bangladesh football team played its first official game on July 26, 1973, a 2-2 draw against Thailand. During the period between July 26 and August 14, 1973, the national team played 13 friendly matches against Asian teams, all hosted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, resulting in 3 draws and 10 defeats. One year later, the national team played 2 more friendlies, this time in Bangkok, and were defeated twice more.The next official matches came in 1978, 2 friendly games against Malaysia and India, also in Bangkok, finished once more as defeats. In January 1979, the qualification tournament for the 1980 AFC Asian Cup began and – surprisingly considering their previous record – Bangladesh opened their campaign with draws against Afghanistan and Qatar. A heavy 4–0 defeat against Qatar followed, but a 4–1 win over the Afghans, the team's first ever victory, saw them qualify for the tournament.In preparation for the Asian Cup, Bangladesh played four more friendly matches, losing three of them (notably a 9–0 thrashing by South Korea) but scoring their second win, 3–1 over Sri Lanka.

The 1980s 

The 1980 AFC Asian Cup was held in September 1980 in Kuwait, and Bangladesh were grouped with defending champions Iran as well as North Korea, Syria and China. The Bangladeshis opened the tournament respectably with narrow defeats to the North Koreans (3–2) and Syrians (1–0) but were embarrassed 7–0 and 6–0 respectively by Iran and China, finishing the tournament bottom of their table with a goal difference of -15. This was the only time that Bangladesh have qualified for a major tournament.

In 1982, after a year and a half without any matches, the team played four games in Karachi, Pakistan, again suffering, 3 defeats and a draw, with a heavy 9–0 loss, this time to Iran. The next five friendlies yielded 2 victories and 3 defeats, and by the 1984, the team had only 4 victories, in 10 years.The qualifiers for the 1984 AFC Asian Cup took place in August of that year, with Bangladesh matched with Iran and Syria from the 1980 tournament alongside Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Bangladesh lost all but one of their games, a 3–2 defeat of the Philippines to salvage a little pride after yet another mauling by Iran. A month later, the team played friendlies against Maldives and Nepal and handed out two thrashings of their own for a change, winning both games 5–0. But Nepal answered the day after, defeating Bangladesh 4–2. In 1985 the team made its first attempt to qualify for the World Cup,grouped with India, Indonesia and Thailand. Two wins from six saw Bangladesh finish bottom of their group. From April 1985 to November 1987 team played 13 games, registering 4 victories, 2 draws and 7 defeats, before failing to qualify for either the 1988 AFC Asian Cup or the 1990 FIFA World Cup, posting just one win in the eleven games they played over both tournaments (a 3–1 defeat of Thailand in World Cup qualifying).

The 1990s

From 1989 to 1991, the team played 8 matches, gaining 3 victories, 1 draw and 4 defeats, before failing once again to qualify for the Asian Cup, this time thanks to a 6–0 drubbing by South Korea. Two years later, the qualifying tournament for the 1994 FIFA World Cup involved 8 matches – Bangladesh's longest ever campaign, but no more successful – only a pair of victories over Sri Lanka prevented a complete whitewash which included 8–0 and 7–0 thrashings at the hands of Japan and United Arab Emirates respectively.

In 1995, Bangladesh won silver in Football at the South Asian Games, losing in the final to hosts India, but qualification for 1998 FIFA World Cup saw a return to form, with the team even losing to Chinese Taipei.

The team's fortunes in regional competitions improved – the SAFF Gold Cup in 1999, held in Goa, saw Bangladesh again reach the final and lose to India, picking up another silver medal, and at 1999 South Asian Games held in Kathmandu the team finally took the extra step and won the gold medal, the first tournament win in the team's history. However, they were unable to parlay this into a successful qualification for the 2000 Asian Cup and failed to recover from an opening 6–0 thrashing by Uzbekistan.

The 2000s

A historic moment occurred for the Bangladesh team on 12 January 2001, when they played their first match against a team from outside Asia, a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina, who won 2–0.

Since 2000, the team have rarely looked like qualifying for either the Asian Cup or the World Cup (with successive first-round eliminations by Tajikistan in 2006 and 2010, but the same period has brought 2 tournament titles, one for SAFF Gold Cup in 2003, and the other (gold medal) at 2010 South Asian Games – in both cases as tournament hosts.

2011

On 29 June 2011 at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh beat Pakistan 3-0 in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. They went on to play Pakistan again at Punjab Stadium, Lahore on 3 July 2011 where they drew 0-0. This allowed the Bangladesh team to move on to the second round to play against Lebanon. The first game was played in Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, Beirut on 23 July 2011 where Bangladesh lost 4-0. The second game was played in Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka where Bangladesh won 2-0. Since Lebanon was able to score more goals out of the two games they advanced to the third round eliminating Bangladesh. Bangladesh couldn't qualify into the semifinal of 2011 SAFF Championship as they had drawn against Pakistan but lost to Nepal and Maldives in group stage.

2012

In 2012, the Bangledesh team were given their first ever DOM World Ranking. Their rank was a disheartening, but fairly expected 182nd. Bangladesh played three international friendly matches in 2012. They managed to draw against Nepal by 1-1. They started their South-east Asian tour by a heavy 5-0 defeat to Thailand but drawn against Malaysia by 1-1.

Bangladesh Football Federation

BFF was founded on 15 July 1972, by Prof. Md. Yousuf Ali (former Education, Culture and Sports Minister). Prof. Yousuf Ali presided the association with Abul Hashem of Wari Club as general secretary."BFF info". bangladeshdir.com. http://www.bangladeshdir.com/webs/catalog/bangladesh_football_federation__bff_.html It became affiliated with AFC and FIFA in 1973 and 1976"Bangladesh on FIFA.com". FIFA.com. http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=ban/index.html. respectively. Bangladesh was elected as member in the AFC Executive Committee 1982-86 and 1998-02. Major (Rtd) Hafizuddin Ahmed was elected vice president of AFC for 1990-94."BFF info". bangladeshdir.com. http://www.bangladeshdir.com/webs/catalog/bangladesh_football_federation__bff_.html. The BFF continued the Dhaka Football League that started in 1948, after the independence of Bangladesh. It gained huge fanship and support and continued with premier, first, second and third divisions in the process. In 1980, the Federation started top the Federation Cup, which grew to be the country's top national cup competition. In 2007 BFF started the country's top tier professional league Bangladesh Premier League (known as B. League then). In 2009 it launched the Super Cup tournament, the highest budgeted football tournament organised by BFF, which kicked-off in 2009 for the first time and it was won by club Dhaka Mohammedan SC beating arch-rivals Abahani Ltd..doi= "Bangladesh: Mohammedan SC Clinch Citycell Super Cup". goal.com. http://www.goal.com/en/news/14/asia/2009/03/27/1177942/bangladesh-mohammedan-sc-clinch-citycell-super-cup doi=. Retrieved 2010-08-01. In 2012 BFF launched 2nd tier professional league Bangladesh Championship League.

 

Bangladesh Football Federation Player

Name	D. o. B.	Position	Current club	Land	Stats*
Alam, Sahidul	0000-00-00	goal			0:0:0
Khan, Mamun	1985-12-20	goal	Sheikh Russell Dhaka		0:0:0
Rahman, Maksudur	0000-00-00	goal			0:0:0
Faisal, Mohd Waly	1985-03-01	defence	Mohammedan Dhaka		0:0:0
Karim, Rezaul	1987-07-01	defence	Farashganj Dhaka		0:0:0
Linkon, Ashraf Mahmud	1990-06-06	defence	Abahani Limited Dhaka		0:0:0
Meshu, Atiqur Rahman	1988-08-26	defence	Abahani Limited Dhaka		0:0:0
Mia, Mohd Mamun	1987-09-11	defence	Mohammedan Dhaka		0:0:0
Sujan, Mohammed	1982-06-01	defence	Abahani Limited Dhaka		0:0:0
Ahmed, Shakil	1988-01-07	midfield	Mohammedan Dhaka		0:0:0
Das, Prantosh Kumar	0000-00-00	midfield	Abahani Limited Dhaka		0:0:0
Hossain, Mohd Zahid	1988-06-15	midfield	Mohammedan Dhaka		0:0:0
Islam, Mohd Mamunul	1988-12-12	midfield	Mohammedan Dhaka		0:0:0
Mithu, Zumratul Hossein	1979-07-03	midfield			0:0:0
Ameli, Zahid Hasan	1987-12-25	attack	Dhanmondi Dhaka		0:0:0
Chowdhury, Mithun	1989-02-10	attack	Abahani Chittagong		0:0:0
Chowdhury, Nasiruddin	0000-00-00	attack			0:0:0
Komol, Abdul Baten	1987-08-02	attack	Abahani Limited Dhaka		0:0:0

Hockey

Hockey has been one of the most popular sports in Bangladesh. It comes right after Cricket and football considering the popularity. However, lack of responsible officials and maladministration has led this sport to decline as well. Bangladesh, even though, regularly participates in the Hockey Asia Cup and also hosted its edition of 1985. The Bangladesh Hockey Federation, the national governing body for the sport, every year organizes some domestic competitions in the country, most notably the Premier Division Hockey League.

Squad: Russell Mahmood Jimmy (captain), Mamunur Rahman Chayan (vice-captain), Zahid Hossain, Rafiqul Islam, Moshiur Rahman Biplob, Imran Hasan, Taposh Barman, Khorshedur Rahman, Asaduzzaman Chandan, AHM Qamruzzaman, Shahidullah Titu, Sheikh Md Nannu, Zahid bin Talib Shuvo, Hasan Jubaer Niloy, Iqbal Nadir Prince, Krishna Kumar.

Golf

Golf has recently seen an increase in its popularity in Bangladesh. The sport was not much notable until Siddikur Rahman became the first Bangladeshi golfer to win an Asian Tour event at the Brunei Open in 2010. Subsequently, the sport began to get enough media coverage in Bangladesh and also succeeded to acquire sponsors to ensure its financial sufficiency.

The first course was Kurmitola Golf Club in Dhaka Cantonment, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The history of Kurmitola Golf Club (KGC) dates back to the mid-fifties.  Shifting from its original location (presently Zia International Airport), the golf course settled at the present site in the mid sixties.  Initially, the layout of the course was designed by golfer and architect Mr. Pennink.  However, the new course was redesigned and developed by Dr. Sukitti Klangvhisai, Ph.D.  Kurmitola Golf Club is now an international golf club with links to many renowned clubs around the world.  The course also features an area of 126-acres specifically laid out for professional golf.  

Handball

There is Bangladesh Handball Federation (BHF) to develop this sport in the country which has been a member of International Handball Federation since 1986. Both men's and women's teams from Bangladesh represent the nation in various international events most notably the South Asian Games. In addition, BHF, in assistance with the ministry of education, holds annual inter-school championships for both boys and girls throughout the country.

Volleyball

Volleyball is very popular in Bangladesh and practiced throughout the country but still struggles to have pleasant performance at the international arena. Bangladesh Volleyball Federation (BVF) was formed in 1972 and got its affiliation from Fédération Internationale de Volleyball and Asian Volleyball Confederation in 1976. So far Bangladesh participated twice in the Asian Games, twice in the Asian Youth Volleyball Championship and thrice in the Asian Volleyball Championship. Bangladesh Volleyball Team achieved Runners-up Trophy of International Volleyball Championships held in Pakistan from 28-30 January, 2009. There are also annual inter-school and national championships for the sport.

Badminton

 Badminton is also a popular sport in Bangladesh and is played mostly in the winter season throughout the country. The Bangladesh Badminton Federation (BBF), formed in 1972, is responsible for managing and developing the sport. Badminton was long neglected in Bangladesh but recently the federation got some responsible officials and also managed to acquire sponsors for the sport. BBF now regularly holds many national and international championships and also organizes some talent hunt programs across the country.

Bangladesh Badminton Federation was stablished on 1972. Professore Mr. Md. Yousuf Ali was the first president who actively done his position from 1972 to 23/08/1976 and Mr. Shahidur Rahman kochi was the first active general secratary from 1972 to 23/07/1976.  The Bangladesh Badminton Federation (BBF) were slapped with a 2500 dollars fine by the Asian Badminton Confederation for failing to field a number of players on the opening day of the Bangladesh International Series Badminton Competition that started in the city yesterday. Ten of the Bangladeshi shuttlers did not appear in protest of the expulsion of acting general secretary of the federation Zahidul Haque Kochi. Kochi was recently expelled from the badminton camp for allegations of sexual harassment of some women shuttlers. But this did not go down well with some of their male colleagues and they decided to stay out of the International Series Badminton Competition demanding his reappointment.There are whispers in the air that Kochi and former general secretary Zobaidur Rahman Rana are instigating the shuttlers not to take part. As a result, ten shuttlers including Rais, Parash, Anik, Dola, Konika and Tushar did not appear for the opening day's matches; each missed appearance was levied a fine of 250 dollars, informed tournament committee secretary Hafizur Rahman Milon.The acting general secretary Syeda Marium Tarek said they would take stern action against all those who stayed out of the competition.

However, those locals who took part did a fair job on the opening day of the competition. Enamul of Bangladesh beat his Sri Lankan counterpart Gurusinghe by 21-19, 18-21, 21-14 points, Shapla beat her Russian counterpart Inozemchekov by 17-21, 21-14, 21-18 points. The pair of Mashrafe and Sazzad though lost to Sri Lankan pair Hasitha and Dahmayako by 21-15, 21-17 points.

Chess

Chess is a popular indoor game in Bangladesh and the country has given birth to many talented chess players. Bangladeshi chess player Niaz Murshed is the first Grandmaster to emerge from South Asia in 1987. Bangladesh Chess Federation has become a member of the FIDE in 1979. Every year it arranges some 15 to 20 tournaments at the national and international levels. The Bangladeshi Chess Championship is the annual individual national chess championship in the country.

Basketball

 

Basketball  is a popular sport in Bangladesh mostly in the urban areas. Bangladesh Basketball Federation has been affiliated with FIBA since 1978. Bangladesh has never qualified for Basketball at the Summer Olympics or the FIBA World Championship. The national team's best finish at the FIBA Asia Championship was 13th in 1979. The other notable achievement was winning a bronze at the 2010 South Asian Games.

Tennis

Tennis  is mostly played in the urban areas of Bangladesh. The Gland Slam tournaments like the US Open, Wimbledon are very popular among the urban people but so far nobody represented the country in a grand slam as very few take the sport professionally. Since 2008, the Bangladesh Tennis Federation has been holding an annual International Junior Tennis Tournament to promote and develop the sport in the country. Bangladesh Davis Cup team made its Davis Cup debut in 1986. Bangladesh succeeded to reach the semi-finals three years later in Davis Cup 1989 in Asia/Oceania Zone Group II that was held in Singapore.

Table Tennis

 

Table tennis has been played in Bangladesh since the 1950s. Although the game is very popular in schools, colleges and universities, tournaments outside educational institutions are not rare. The Bangladesh Table Tennis Federation (BTTF) was created in 1972. The same year it became a member of the Asian and World Table Tennis Federations. Many national and international competitions are held by BTTF as well as some major sponsors. Bangladesh takes part in different international table tennis tournaments and achieved some success too. In 1997, Bangladesh boys' team got the third place in the first junior competition among 12 countries of the SAARC and ASEAN regions. Bangladesh also won some medals in South Asian Games. Bangladesh successfully hosted the Asian Cup Table Tennis Tournament in 1991. Bangladeshi table tennis player Zobera Rahman Linu has won the national table tennis championships in the individual category 16 times, which is the most by any sports-person in any country of the world.

Squash

Bangladesh shows a bright future in squash, with a flourishing amount of tournaments arranged recently, Many promising players is coming up from this country. Recent measures taken by the government as well as the efforts made by the officials of the Bangladesh squash racket federation have resulted in the growth of popularity of squash in Bangladesh. The Government has proposed to provide a land where the main Federation headquarters will be built. Grameenphone Open Squash Tournament is a major tournament in Bangladesh. Some promising squash players from Bangladesh include Swapan Parvez, Raju Ram, Iman, Tamim, Habbarter Ribhu etc.

Rugby

Rugby is a minor but rapidly growing sport in Bangladesh. The history of rugby in Bangladesh, however, dates back to the 19th century during the British rule when the Europeans used to play the sport in Bangladesh. After the fall of the British dynasty, the sport had little or no presence in the country. However, in 2007, after a long period of dormancy, some Japanese coaches started a youth program. Various schools sent under-12s to the training camp. The Bangladesh Rugby Association, the national governing body for the sport has been training these children in order to start an inter-schools tournament.

Swimming

 

Bangladesh is riverine country, having more than 250 rivers flowing through it. Hence swimming has always been a part of the lives of Bangladeshis. Bangladesh has produced a legendary swimmer Brojen Das, who was the first Asian to swim across the English Channel, and the first person to cross it four times. He is also the only person outside United Kingdom and Australia to win the title of King of the Channel. 

Bangladesh Swimming Federation’s official website. Bangladesh Swimming Federation is the national governing body of sport of swimming in the Country. The Federation is the member organization of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) and the founder member of Asian Amateur Swimming Federation (AASF) and also member of Bangladesh Olympic Association.
Many experts believe that swimming is the ideal all-round exercise. People of all ages and levels of fitness can take part. Swimming, especially the front crawl which requires steady, rhythmic movements, helps to develop aerobic fitness, suppleness, and muscular strength. Swimming can also be helpful for people with asthma or bronchitis.

 

 Bangladesh Swimming Federation (BSF) was formed in 1972 in Dhaka under the National Sports Council (NSC).In 1973 BSF got affiliation form the Federation International De Natation (FINA), got membership from Asian Amateur Swimming Federation (AASF) got in 1978. We also affiliated of Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA).The National Swimming Competition was organized old Swimming Pool at Purana Paltan in Dhaka. Now the old Purana Paltan Swimming Pool is known as I V Rahman Swimming Pool from 21 November 2011.National and International Swimming Pool build in 18th December 1993 for the SAF Games, that is known now National Swimming Complex at Mirpur in Dhaka. Later it was changed as Syed Nazrul Islam National Swimming Complex.BSF has the executive to operate different programmes which is form by a fair election every four years later, controlled by the National Sports Council (NSC).

_Athletics_

 

Bangladesh has been participating at the Olympics, Asian games and other multinational competitions for athletics but hasn't really pleased with its performance. Bangladeshi athletes have won some medals at the South Asian Games. Bangladesh Athletics Federation is the national governing body for athletics.

Bangladeshi records in athletics

Outdoor

Men

Event	Record	Athlete	Date	Meet	Place	Ref
100 m	10.54	Mohd Mahbub Alam	26 September 1999	South Asian Games	Kathmandu, Nepal
200 m	21.15	Mohd Mahbub Alam	28 September 1999	South Asian Games	Kathmandu, Nepal
400 m	47.55	Mohamed Hossain Milzer	29 September 1986	Asian Games	Seoul, South Korea
800 m	1:51.16	Mohamed Hossain Milzer	23 September 1988	Olympic Games	Seoul, South Korea
1500 m	3:50.46	Ahmed Mustaque	23 November 1987	South Asian Games	Calcutta, India
3000 m
5000 m	14:47.19	Mohamed Eliysuddin	21 December 1995		Madras, India
10000 m	30:27.7	Mohamed Eliysuddin	18-20 March 1999		Dhaka, Bangladesh
Marathon	2:22:03	Ali Mohamed	7 March 1987		Dhaka, Bangladesh
110 m hurdles	14.15	Mahfuzur Rahman	26 May 2007		Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
400 m hurdles	51.87	Abdur Rahim Nayeem	25 December 1993	South Asian Games	Dhaka, Bangladesh
3000 m steeplechase	9:04.6	Shamsuddin	1981		Dhaka, Bangladesh
High jump	2.11 m	Sajib Hossain	5 May 2010	Bangladeshi Championships	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Pole vault	4.35 m	Humayun Kabir	29 April 2006		Dhaka, Bangladesh
Long jump	7.61 m	Mohamed Ali Amin	3 April 2009		Dhaka, Bangladesh
Triple jump	15.55 m	Afzal Hossain	13 February 1991		Dhaka, Bangladesh
Shot put	14.25 m	Mozaffar Hossain	25 September 1998		Dhaka, Bangladesh
Discus throw	44.98 m	Azharul Islam	6 February 2010	South Asian Games	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Hammer throw	56.54 m	Monimul Hoque	22 December 1992		Dhaka, Bangladesh
Javelin throw	63.58 m	Ariful Hoque	9 March 1990		Dhaka, Bangladesh
Decathlon
	(100 m), (long jump), (shot put), (high jump), (400 m) / (110 m hurdles), (discus), (pole vault), (javelin), (1500 m)
20 km walk (road)	1:30:40	Shafiuddin Titu	19-21 December 1996		Dhaka, Bangladesh
50 km walk (road)
4x100 m relay	40.59	Bangladesh M. Shah Jalal M. Shah Alam S. Choudhury Mohamed Hossain Milzer	25 October 1989	South Asian Games	Islamabad, Pakistan
4x400 m relay	3:12.41	Bangladesh Mohamed Hossain Milzer M. Giasuddin F. Khan Choudhury Abdul Rahim Nayeem	25 December 1993	South Asian Games	Dhaka, Bangladesh

Women

Event	Record	Athlete	Date	Meet	Place	Ref
100 m	12.16 (+1.1 m/s)	Shamsun Nahar Chumki	8 February 2010	South Asian Games	Dhaka, Bangladesh
200 m	25.04	Nazmun Nahar Beauty	24 August 2006	South Asian Games	Colombo, Sri Lanka
400 m	55.46	Nazmun Nahar Beauty	5 April 2004		Islamabad, Pakistan
800 m	2:13.3	Sharmila Ray Chakma	22 December 1985	South Asian Games	Dhaka, Bangladesh
1500 m	4:50.3	Rawshanara Putul	3 April 2009		Dhaka, Bangladesh
3000 m	11:07.1	Rawshanara Putul	4 April 2009		Dhaka, Bangladesh
5000 m
10000 m
Marathon
100 m hurdles	13.99	Sumita Rani	7 February 2010	South Asian Games	Dhaka, Bangladesh
400 m hurdles
3000 m steeplechase
High jump	1.67 m	Sathi Parveen	12 March 2002		Mirpur, Bangladesh
Pole vault
Long jump	6.07 m (+0.2 m/s)	Foujia Huda	2 April 2004		Islamabad, Pakistan
	6.07 m (-0.1 m/s)		12 June 2004		Ipoh, Malaysia
	6.07 m		25 August 2006	South Asian Games	Colombo, Sri Lanka
Triple jump
Shot put	12.14 m	Nelly Jesmin	8 September 2992		Dhaka, Bangladesh
Discus throw	42.90 m	Joytsna Afroz	25 December 1993	South Asian Games	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Hammer throw
Javelin throw	42.60 m	Hajera Akhtar	16/17 April 2004		Mirpur, Bangladesh
Heptathlon
	(100 m hurdles), (high jump), (shot put), (200 m), (long jump), (javelin), (800 m)
20 km walk (road)
4x100 m relay	46.80	Bangladesh Sumita Rani J. Akhter Shamsun Nahar Chumky I. J. Eva	7 February 2010	South Asian Games	Dhaka, Bangladesh
4x400 m relay	3:52.59	Bangladesh J. Akhter K. Khatun Rawshanara Putul I.J. Eva	8 February 2010	South Asian Games	Dhaka, Bangladesh

Indoor

Men

Event	Record	Athlete	Date	Meet	Place	Ref
60 m	7.04	Mohamed Abu Abdullah	6 February 2004	Asian Championships	Tehran, Iran
		Mohamed Mesbah Ahmmed	9 March 2012	World Championships	Istanbul, Turkey
200 m	23.01	Mohamed Masudul Karim	7 February 2004	Asian Championships	Tehran, Iran
400 m	50.79	Azharul Islam	14 March 2009		Athens, Greece
800 m	2:01.16	Salim Miah	14 March 2009		Athens, Greece
1500 m
3000 m
60 m hurdles	8.71	Mohamed Masudul Karim	8 February 2004	Asian Championships	Tehran, Iran
High jump
Pole vault
Long jump
Triple jump
Shot put
Heptathlon
	(60 m), (long jump), (shot put), (high jump) / (60 m hurdles), (pole vault), (1000 m)
5000 m walk
4x400 m relay

Women

Event	Record	Athlete	Date	Meet	Place	Ref
60 m	7.88	Foujia Huda	12 October 2001		Rasht, Iran
200 m
400 m
800 m
1500 m
3000 m
60 m hurdles
High jump	1.55 m	Sathi Parveen	12 October 2001		Rasht, Iran
Pole vault
Long jump	5.85 m	Foujia Huda	12 October 2001		Rasht, Iran
Triple jump
Shot put
Pentathlon
	(60 m hurdles), (high jump), (shot put), (long jump), (800 m)
3000 m walk
4x400 m relay

Shooting

Shooting is a promising sport in Bangladesh. The only two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games for Bangladesh came from Shooting. Bangladesh have also won many gold medals at the South Asian Games. Shooting in Bangladesh came to spotlight when Asif Hossain Khan clinched the 10 metre air rifle gold medal in Commonwealth Games in 2002 and repeated his success in South Asian Games in 2004. The National Shooting Federation Bangladesh is the governing body for shooting sport in Bangladesh.

Karate

Bangladesh has been taking part in various multinational competitions for Karate and has won some gold medals at the South Asian Games. Bangladesh Karate Federation, the national governing body for Karate, holds some annual Karate championships to promote the sport. Bangladesh Karate Do is the most famous among the Karate training institutes in Bangladesh.

Archery

Archery is a new but promising sport in Bangladesh. Archery was introduced in Bangladesh in 2000 and the Bangladesh Archery Federation was formed in 2001 and got affiliated with the World Archery Federation in 2003. Having won some gold and silver medals at some multinational Archery championships, Emdadul Haque Milon is the most promising young archer in Bangladesh

Taekwondo

The Bangladesh Taekwondo Federation was formed in 1996 and is affiliated with the World Taekwondo Federation. Bangladesh Taekwondo team achieved 2 Gold at Open International Taekwondo Championships-2009 held in Seoul from 18-22 August, 2009. Bangladesh has also won some gold medals at the South Asian games.

Boxing

 

Boxing is not much popular in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Amateur Boxing Federation is the controlling board for boxing in Bangladesh. Most of the boxers in Bangladesh emerge from the Rajshahi and Jessore regions. Even though the performance of Bangladeshi boxers at international level has been very poor, the boxers have succeeded to win some gold medals at the South Asian Games.

Street Boxing In Bangladesh

 

Sports in Bangladesh and Dhaka are mostly focused on two things. It's either Cricket, or football. When I found out I was going to do a photographic story about boxing, many of my fellow students from Dhaka told me it was going to be impossible or next to impossible, as boxing is a very uncommon and not a popular sport in Bangladesh. Coming from Norway, where there are about 3 boxing clubs in each city, I found it quite hard to believe that there were no boxing clubs in a city which hosts an unknown amount of people. Being listed over 10 million, but they don't have the correct count.

So after a bit of searching, and a lot of help from one of my fellow students, I got in contact with a boxing coach telling us that boxing did indeed take place in Bangladesh, but at the moment they had no place to practice. He told us that they were going to practice between two buildings in the upcoming days, and I was welcome to join them and take photographs.

After one hour of traveling we finally met up. I was quite impressed when I saw the area they were practicing on. After shooting for some minutes, I noticed the crowd around us. A lot of people were gathered to watch.

They told me later that boxing in a open place like that would get some spectators, but having a white boy jumping around two boxers would get even more spectators. So whether they were watching me or the fighting, I was unsure of.

I spent two days with the boxers trying to take as many photographs as possible, and tried to get as close as I could. Sometimes I felt I were going to take a hit or two in the stomach.

I have always been interested in boxing as a watching sport and found it more than interesting, but being able to be this close and taking photographs of the motions of boxing, I got quite the different view on the subject. I was easily impressed by the movements of the boxers during a one on one fight.

I later described the experience as a macho ballet for my teacher, but I am not sure if he quite understood what I was saying.