Bangladesh remained at their previous 187th position with 914 points among 210 countries in the FIFA Coca-Cola World Ranking published on Thursday.

Among the eight South Asian countries, Bangladesh was placed 5th after India (109th), Afghanistan (149th), the Maldives (155th) and Nepal (170th).

India topped the list among the South Asian countries despite losing a point.

But Bangladesh is ahead of Bhutan (189th), Pakistan (200th) and Sri Lanka (206th).

Top four countries of the world – Belguim (1st), world champions France (2nd), Brazil (3rd) and England (4th) – maintained their previous rankings.

Portugal advanced to the 5th slot in the current world ranking adding two more points to their credit, Spain was placed 7th adding one more point while Argentina is in the 9th place with their previous points.

The last FIFA World Ranking was published in last April.

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FIFA, AFC matches postponed till 2021

Former Bangladesh cricketer, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) member and councillor ASM Faruque died on Wednesday in Dhaka after a cardiac arrest. He was 75.

In a condolence letter, BCB has extended deepest sympathies to the family of ASM Faruque.

Faruque was one of Bangladesh team members when Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) visited Bangladesh as the first touring team after the independence  in 1971. As an administrator, Faruque played various roles with the BCB.

In the World Cup 2003 and in the ICC U-19 World Cup 2016, Faruque was the team manager of Bangladesh team. In 2007, he led the game development committee of BCB, and he was a member of the technical committee formed by current BCB boss Nazmul Hassan.

Faruque was also a selector of Asian side during the Afro-Asia Cup 2007. Bangladesh’s all-time best cricketers- Mohammad Rafique, Masrhafe Bin Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Mohammad Ashraful and Tamim Iqbal- featured in that event of Afro-Asia Cup.

While the three-match Test series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh is in jeopardy,  hosts Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) came up with an unheard-of idea of two-country quarantine. However, the idea is yet to get consent from the Sri Lanka government. 

As per the regulations of Sri Lanka health department, everyone who enters Sri Lanka requires a 14-day quarantine upon the arrival in the island nation. But the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has refused to maintain a 14-day quarantine. They rather urged to trim the quarantine period to seven days, which has seen a refusal from Sri Lanka health department. 

Ravin Wickramaratne, the vice-president said: “We had a positive meeting with the Covid-19 Task Force, and everyone was in agreement that we should make this tour happens. We had a positive meeting with the Covid-19 Task Force yesterday, and everyone was in agreement that we should make this tour happen.”

Sri Lankan health department is more concern about the Covid-19. They have worked very hard to contain the deadly virus. They earned worldwide admiration for their work which has made the citizens of Sri Lanka go back to nearly normal life. 

As a result of this situation, the series has fallen into jeopardy. After the refusal of BCB, Namal Rajapaksa, the cabinet minister of youth affairs and sports, urged SLC to discuss more with the health department to make the series happens. 

In the latest move to make the series takes the place in time, SLC is trying to convince their health department to allow Bangladesh national team a two-country quarantine- in which, Bangladesh players will maintain a seven-day quarantine in Dhaka before flying for Sri Lanka and more seven-days after reaching the island nation. 

However, this idea is unlikely to get a positive response from the health department of Sri Lanka as a two-country quarantine idea seems to be a fictional move because it’s nearly impossible to maintain a bio-secure bubble when an international flight is a must. 

BCB is yet to make a comment on the idea of a two-country quarantine. They are so far strict on their previous stance of seven-day quarantine after reaching  Sri Lanka.

Also read: Sri Lanka tour not possible now: BCB chief

This series was originally scheduled for July-August, but the Covid-19 situation forced the involving parties to reschedule the in October-November.

Bangladesh District and Divisional Football Association and Football Club Association formed a panel named “Samonnya Parishad” to contest the BFF Election 2020 to be held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel on October 3. 

 Sheikh Aslam, Mohiuddin Mohi and Sheikh Maruf-led panel will compete in 19 posts out of 21, except president and one vice president, against the sitting president Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin–led 21-member Sammillita Parishad panel making the BFF election exciting one.

The Samonnya Parishad failed to give candidate for the hot seat of BFF president as the long serving BFF vice president Badal Roy withdrew his candidature (after expiry of date line) for the supreme post of BFF due his critical health condition.

However, the name of Badal Roy will be included in the ballot paper as president candidate alongwith Kazi Salahuddin and Shafiqul Islam Manik for his late withdrawal. Now, it will be open for the councilors to vote for any of the three president candidates.

Moreover, three candidates--Mohiuudin Ahmed Mohi, Sheikh Mohammad Maruf Hasan and SM Abdullah Al Fuad Redwan—will compete from Samonnoya Parishad in the four posts of vice president in the ensuing BFF polls.     

Former national striker Sheikh Mohammad Aslam who earlier challenged sitting senior vice president Abdus Salam Murshedy MP in the post, will lead the Samonnoya Parishad, in absence of president candidate.

Earlier on last Sunday (Sept 13), the chief election commissioner Mesbah Uddin,   officially published the final candidates list with ballot numbers, including Badal Roy, who submitted a late withdrawal application, as one of the three candidates for the hot seat of BFF President. 

As per final candidate list, 47 candidates will compete for the 21 posts of the BFF Executive Committee--three for the hot seat of president, two for the senior vice president, eight for vice president and 34 for executive members in the BFF Poll to be held on October 3.

Some 139 councilors of BFF will exercise their voting right to elect one president, one senior vice president, four vice presidents and 15 EC members from 2 pm to 6 pm at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital, followed by its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the same venue on the day.

Salahuddin, who has ruled the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) for the last twelve years as president, will face a challenge from his fellow ex-national footballer, as well as ex-national coach Shafiqul Islam Manik, apart from Badal Roy.

Manik, 52, who trained national football team and a number of leading BPL teams, surprisingly came to scenario in the last moment collecting nomination paper for the hot seat of BFF on the last day of nomination distribution on the last day, somehow made the BFF election meaningful after prospective candidate Tarafder Md Ruhul Amin declined to compete in BFF Election '20 in the dying moment.

Final candidate lists with ballot number (in bracket):

President: Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin (1), Badal Roy (2), Md Shahfiqul Islam Manik (3).

Senior Vice President: Abdus Salam Murshedy MP (1), Sheikh Mohammad Aslam (2).

Vice President: Mohiuddin Ahmed Mohi (5), Tabith Awal (4), Sheikh Mohammad Maruf Hasan (8), SM Abdullah Al Fuad Ridwan (2), Kazi Nabil Ahmed MP (3), Amirul Islam Babu (1), Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan Manik (6), and Imrul Hasan (7) .

EC member: Abdul Wadud Pintu (3), Mohammad Sabbir Hosssin (14), Mohidur Rahman Miraj (11), Manjurul Ahsan (10), Imtiaz Sultan Jony (18),  Hazi Mohammad Rafiq (25), ANM Aminul Haque Mamun (20), Arif Hosssin Moon (16), Mohammad Saiful Islam (24), Syed Mustaq Ali Mukul (32), Mohammad Ameer Khan (15) , Hazi Tipu Sultan ( 8), Shahkawat Hosssin Bhuiyan Shahin (31), Fazlur Rahman Babul (21),  Hasnuzzaman Khan Bablu (28), Saifur Rahman Moni (23), Mizanur Rahman,(13), Zakir Hossain Chowdhury (7) , Raihan Kabir (26), Harun ur Rashid (34), Shawkat Ali Khan Jahangir (27) Satyajit Das Rupu (30), Elias Hosssin (19), Bijon Barua (9), Amit Khan Shuvro (1), Iqbal Hossain (17), Mohiuddin Ahmed Salim (22), Mahfuza Akhter Kiron (12), Asaduzzaman Mithu (4), Kamrul Hasan Hilton (6), Syed Riazul Karim (33), Imtiaz Hamid Sabuj (5), Nurul Islam Nuru (20), Shakil Mahmud Chowdury (29),

BFF president Kazi Salahuddin-led 21-member Sammillita Parishad panel are:

President: Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin, Sr Vice President: Abdus Salam Murshedy MP, 

Vice presidents: Kazi Nabil Ahmed MP, Amirul Islam Babu, Imrul Hasan and Ataur Rahman Manik.

Members: Harun ur Rashid, Shawkat Ali Khan Jahangir, Satyajit Das Rupu, Elias Hosssin, Bijon Barua, Amit Khan Shuvro, Iqbal Hossain, Mohiuddin Ahmed Salim , Md Zakir Hossain, Mahfuza Akhter Kiron, Asaduzzaman Mithu, Kamrul Hasan Hilton, Syed Riazul Karim, Imtiaz Hamid Sabuj and Nurul Islam Nuru.

Samonnoya Parishad Panel:

Senior Vice President: Sheikh Mohammad Aslam .

Vice President: Mohiuddin Ahmed Mohi, Sheikh Mohammad Maruf Hasan and SM Abdullah Al Fuad Ridwan.

Also read: BFF Election schedule announced

EC members: Abdul Wadud Pintu , Mohammad Sabbir Hosssin, Mohidur Rahman Miraj , Manjurul Ahsan , Imtiaz Sultan Jony,  Arif Hosssin Moon, Mohammad Saiful Islam , Syed Mustaq Ali Mukul, Mohammad Ameer Khan , Hazi Tipu Sultan, Fazlur Rahman Babul, Hasnuzzaman Khan Bablu, Mizanur Rahman, ANM Aminul Haque Mamun and Shakil Mahmud Chowdury ,

Former national skipper and most reliable national cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim  has met cricket-loving Sheikh Yeamin Sinan after a photo  of the 11 years old boy playing cricket with his mother Jhorna Akhter at Paltan Maidan went viral on social media.

Mushfiqur Rahim met Yeamin and his mother at Banani ground in the city on Wednesday and gave some gifts including gloves, jersey and an autographed memorabilia bat.

Replying to a question from reporters, Jhorna Akhter said, “I wanted to become a cricketer, but after marriage I couldn’t go forward with my dream. I wish to see my son become a cricketer, but now I’m seeing that he himself wants to become a cricketer more than me,”

Yeamin said, “My mother is my best friend. So I want what my mother wants. I play cricket since my childhood and Maa used to play too. My favourite player is Mushfiqur Rahim.”

When asked why Mushfiqur came to meet the kid, the batsman said that he always like to meet fans like Yeamin.

“The young generation is our inspiration. There are some people like Yeamin who follow us and we feel very good when we see this. It encourages us and I’m thankful to Allah that he has given me an opportunity like this,” he told reporters.

“I’m pretty sure there are more cricket fans like Yeamin and I wish to interact with them. Sometimes it doesn’t happen, but luckily I was able to meet this time,” he said.

“The thing that I liked most is hearing the story of Yeamin’s mother. She wanted to become a cricketer, it didn’t happen. But she is now trying to make her son’s dream come true and doing all the struggles for it. “

“I pray and hope that he won’t become like me, but even a better cricketer than me,” Mushfiqur further added.