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.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka on October 17, 2019 – PID photo
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.