FIFA assures support for Bangladesh’s soccer promotion

Dhaka – The top boss of the international football association has termed Bangladesh as one of the prospective place for the game and assured his association’s support for soccer improvement in the South Asian country.

Gianni Infantino, the president of Federation International de Football Association (FIFA), came up with the remarks when he called on Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday.

Infantino, also a Swiss-Italian football administrator, is now in Dhaka on a short visit to Bangladesh.

“We’ll continue our support and cooperation for the development of soccer in Bangladesh,” the FIFA boss was quoted as saying by the Prime Minister’s press secretary Ehsanul Karim who briefed reporters after the meeting at prime minister’s office in Dhaka.

Infantino praised Bangladesh team for their recent performance, especially during the Bangladesh-India match on Tuesday, saying the country has remarkably improved in the past years.

He said there are many things to learn from football, especially discipline, and emphasized Bangladesh’s constant communication with the FIFA.

Prime Minister Hasina hoped her country will one-day qualify to the final round of FIFA World Cup as she, as head of the government, has taken various steps to improve the country’s soccer scenario.   

She said her brother Sheikh Kamal founded Bangladesh’s leading sporting club Abahoni Krira Chakra.

Elaborating her government’s initiatives for development of sports and games in the country, the prime minister said steps have been taken to establish 492 small stadiums across Bangladesh.

Hasina said games are being arranged at the primary school level to create new players in the country.

PM’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel, BFF President Kazi Salahuddin, Senior Vice-President Abdus Salam Murshedy and Vice-President Kazi Nabil Ahmed were present among others at the meeting.

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