Reviving Bangladesh’s Football Dream: A Call for Action

 

The 1-0 defeat suffered by the Bangladesh Under-23 football team at the hands of their Nepalese counterparts in Sylhet was not the result that many had hoped for. In front of a fervent, packed crowd at the Sylhet National Stadium, the home team’s loss was a bitter disappointment. The Sylhet faithful, so passionate and hopeful, had expected to see their team leave the pitch victorious, but it was not to be. 

Yet, amid the disappointment, there is a much-needed recognition of the crowd’s unwavering support—a beacon of hope for the future of football in Bangladesh. The atmosphere in Sylhet was nothing short of electric; the crowd’s energy seemed to infuse the very air with a sense of celebration, a carnival-like spirit that reminded everyone of the untapped potential of football in the country. 

This should not be overlooked: despite the ups and downs of Bangladesh’s football history, the Sylhet crowd demonstrated that football’s appeal in the nation is far from dead. In fact, it is very much alive—though perhaps misunderstood or underappreciated in certain quarters. If the sport has waned in popularity in Dhaka, this cannot be seen as a death knell for football across the entire country. Football's reach still extends deep into the heart of Bangladesh, especially in regions like Sylhet where the passion for the game burns bright.

The Disconnect Between Dhaka and the Rest of Bangladesh

This brings us to a critical question: why has the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) failed to extend the sport’s reach beyond Dhaka? Has there been any meaningful effort to nurture football's popularity in other parts of the country? For far too long, football in Bangladesh has been treated as a Dhaka-centric sport, with the capital city seemingly serving as the sole barometer for its success. This myopic view has ignored the passionate football fans in smaller towns and regions, where the love for the game is just as fervent.

The BFF’s failure to take football to the grassroots, to spread its appeal beyond the capital, has done a disservice to the sport. While cricket, particularly in the last two decades, has gained dominance in Bangladesh, this rise has never truly been a direct threat to football. Instead, it is the failure of football’s custodians to recognize the growing need for development and infrastructure outside of Dhaka that has caused the sport’s decline. 

A Call to Action for the Legends of the Past

One of the most frustrating aspects of the current football discourse in Bangladesh is the nostalgia-laden rhetoric that surrounds the sport. Former football stars often reminisce about the "golden age" of Bangladeshi football, invoking a time when the sport was beloved and respected. But where I ask, is the effort to reignite those golden days? Why have these same football legends not been more proactive in reviving the sport they once helped define?

Football, like any other sport, goes through cycles—ups and downs, periods of growth and stagnation. It is natural for a sport to face a downturn, but overcoming this phase requires more than just wistful nostalgia. It requires deliberate, sustained effort, and perhaps most crucially, leadership. This is where the past legends of Bangladesh football must step in—not just as commentators on the game, but as active participants in its revival. 

Sure, players like the great Salahuddin have made attempts to breathe life back into the sport. But is one individual’s effort enough to turn the tide? The answer is no. The challenges are too great, and the task too immense, for one person to bear alone. The question must be asked: where are the academies, the grassroots programs, the infrastructure that could help groom the next generation of football talent? Where is the collective vision to take football out of the Dhaka bubble and into the homes and hearts of Bangladesh’s millions of football enthusiasts?

The Cricket Fallacy: Football and Cricket Are Not Enemies

Another point that needs to be addressed is the misguided notion that cricket’s rise in popularity has somehow been a threat to football. This belief is not only shortsighted but entirely unfounded. Football and cricket can, and should, coexist. The problem lies not in cricket’s success but in the failure to understand that the rise of one sport does not have to come at the expense of the other. Bangladesh can—and should—be a nation where both cricket and football flourish side by side.

The real threat to football’s growth has not been cricket’s popularity, but the lack of strategic thinking and investment in football’s future. Bangladesh’s failure to capitalize on the potential of football, especially in regions outside Dhaka, stems from a fundamental disconnect between the needs of the sport and the decisions of its governing bodies. A failure of vision, rather than a rivalry between sports, has held back football’s progress.

Hope for the Future: Sylhet’s Silent Message

Despite these shortcomings, the recent display of passion and energy in Sylhet offers a glimmer of hope. The love for football in Bangladesh is not lost. Sylhet’s supporters, though they left the stadium with heavy hearts after the team’s loss, have shown us that football can still ignite the spirit of a community. The potential for a football renaissance in Bangladesh is very much alive, and the people of Sylhet have proven that the groundwork for this revival exists.

This is not the end of the story for Bangladeshi football. Far from it. The road to recovery will require vision, investment, and a concerted effort to bring football to the people—not just in Dhaka, but in every corner of the country. This revival must start at the grassroots, with proper academies, coaching programs, and a renewed focus on youth development. The time has come for the legends of Bangladesh football, those who lived through the golden days, to return to the frontline, not as nostalgic figures, but as leaders who can guide the sport into a new era.

In the end, sitting back and lamenting over what has been lost will accomplish nothing. Change can only come if we are willing to stand up and fight for it. And I remain optimistic that, with the right effort and leadership, the glorious past of Bangladeshi football can be rekindled.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar