A 36-member Bangladesh national football team safely reached Shillong, a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, on Thursday, confirmed by a Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) official.
The team, including 24 footballers and 12 officials, earlier left Dhaka early morning to play their crucial first-leg match of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers’ final round against the hosts on 25 March at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong.
Ahead of their campaign, the men in red and green, comprising 29 members, completed their preparation into two phases -- in Dhaka from 28 February to 4 March and in Taif, Saudi Arabia from 5 to 17 March.
Hamza Choudhury, the first Bangladesh-origin footballer who plays in the world-famous football league -- Premier League, who arrived on 17 March, joined the team on 18 March while attended his first training session at the Bashundhara Kings Arena on Wednesday.
However, head coach Javier Cabrera earlier excluded Bangladeshi-origin Italian midfielder Fahamedul Islam from the preliminary 30-member squad after the preparation camp in Saudi Arabia.
Later, defender Sushanto Tripura and midfielder Papon Singh were also sidelined from the squad due to injuries.
After the last session in Dhaka on Wednesday, Cabrera excluded forwards Arif Hossain, Piash Ahmed Nova and defender Tajuddin to shortlist his squad to 24-member.
The official 23-member final squad likely to be announced within two or three days.
A 24-member Bangladesh team
Goalkeepers: Mitul Marma, Sujon Hossain, Mehdi Hasan Srabon
Defenders: Shakil Ahad Topu, Rahmat Mia, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Topu Barman, Saad Uddin, Sakil Hossain, Isa Faysal
Midfielders: Hamza Dewan Choudhury, Chandon Roy, Md Ridoy, Sohel Rana, Md Sohel Rana, Mojibor Rahman Jony, Shekh Morsalin, Syed Shah Quazem Kirmanee, Jamal Bhuyan
Forwards: Mohammad Ibrahim, Foysal Ahmed Fahim, Sahariar Emon, Rakib Hossain, Al Amin.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
