Bangladesh started their campaign in the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksha Trophy Four Nations International Football Tournament in Sri Lanka with frustrating note after playing 1-1 draw with African side Seychelles in their first match at Racecourse International Stadium in Colombo on Wednesday.  The Bangladesh-Seychelles match, earlier scheduled for last Sunday, postponed twice due to heavy rainfall and inclement weather in Colombo. Bangladesh dominated the first half all through playing an entertaining football to take 1-0 lead. But in the 2nd half they were completely off-coloured with their hopeless performances to settle for a draw against  their lowly African opponent. READ: Four Nations Football: Host Sri Lanka plays out 4-4 draw with Maldives   Forward Mohammad Ibrahim put Bangladesh ahead in the 17th minute by an angular shot from right wing (1-0). Brandon Rashid netted the equalizer for Seychelles just two minutes before the final whistle (1-1). Later, Mohammad Ibrahim of Bangladesh was adjudged the most valuable player of the match.  Earlier on Tuesday, coming from behind, hosts Sri Lanka played to a 4-4 draw with their neighbor the Maldives in the tournament’s opener. In the match, Ahmed Wasim Razeek of Sri Lanka made a hat-trick in the very first match scoring all the four goals in the 64th, 69th, 72nd and 90+3 minutes respectively.  A Ghamee, A Fasir, Ibrahim and A Ashfaq scored one each for the Maldives, which dominated the first half by 3-0 goals.   READ: Argentina vs. Brazil: Arch-rivals will meet in the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifier in November    Bangladesh team in day’s match (starting eleven): Zico, Topu, Badsha, Susanto, Yeasin, Jamal, Rakib, Fahad, Saad, Sumon and Ibrahim.  

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on Saturday agreed to deepen their cooperation in various sectors, especially exploring newer avenues in trade and commerce, as the bilateral trade of the two countries are far less than its potential. The consensus came at the official bilateral talks between the Prime Ministers of the two countries held at the Prime Minister’s Office here where the two leaders led their respective sides. PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina welcomed her Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) as he arrived here on Friday morning on a two-day official visit.