Bangladesh’s footballers finally received their long-awaited cash rewards for the historic victory over India, as 23 squad members were each handed Tk7 lakh on Wednesday, reports the Daily Sun.
The cheques were distributed at the National Sports Council (NSC) building, where Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan, team manager Amer Khan, and Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) General Secretary Imran Hossain Tushar received them on behalf of the team from NSC Director of Training Laboni Chakma.
Head coach Javier Cabrera, manager Amer Khan, and all 23 players who featured in the India match were awarded Tk7 lakh each, while five members of the coaching staff received Tk5 lakh apiece.
Bangladesh had defeated India 1-0 in Dhaka on 18 November during the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, marking the country’s first senior-level win over India in 22 years. Following the memorable victory, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan announced a Tk2 crore reward for the team. The money was finally disbursed, 22 days after the announcement.
However, the celebratory moment also exposed a glaring omission. Several key members of the team’s support setup, including long-serving team attendant Md Mohsin and video analyst Nasif Islam, did not receive any financial reward.
The incident also stands in contrast to recent practices in women’s football, where both the SAFF Championship-winning team and the Asian Cup-qualifying squad saw their media managers, doctors, and analysts included in the bonus distribution.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
