Bashundhara Kings refused to release their players for the ongoing national team camp ahead of Bangladesh鈥檚 two FIFA international friendly matches against Nepal, citing injury concerns and their pre-season preparation.
Despite the Kings鈥� refusal to release their players, national team coach Javier Cabrera began on-field training with 12 players at the National Stadium, Dhaka, on Friday.
鈥榃e have come to know this noon that Kings are not releasing their players. Of course, it is a difficult situation for the coach to start the camp. Despite that, we continued the training,鈥� national team manager Amer Khan told the media on Friday.
Cabrera鈥檚 squad will play the matches against Nepal in Kathmandu on September 6 and 9 as part of their preparation for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers against Hong Kong in October.
In their Group C qualifiers, Bangladesh will face Hong Kong at home on 9 October before playing an away game on October 14.
Cabrera on Wednesday called 24 players to join the camp, and the Kings鈥� 10 players were expected to join upon their return from Doha after their AFC Challenge League preliminary round match against Syria鈥檚 Al-Karamah SC on 12 August.
Kings club authorities, in a letter to the Bangladesh Football Federation, stated that they are not releasing their players鈥擳opu Barman, Taj Uddin, Tariq Kazi, Saad Uddin, Sohel Rana, Sohel Rana Jr, Mohammad Ridoy, Faisal Ahmed Fahim, Rakib Hossain, and Shahriar Emon鈥攆or the friendlies against Nepal.
鈥業n a bid to reduce the risk of injuries and ensure the long-term wellbeing of players following their prolonged absence from competitive football, we have already begun our pre-season preparations.鈥�
鈥楾herefore, it is not possible for us to release the players, and we are sincerely sorry,鈥� the letter to the BFF stated.
Kings club president Imrul Hasan, who also serves as BFF鈥檚 senior vice-president and vice-chairman of the national teams committee, is responsible for organising the national camp and arranging the friendly matches against Nepal.
Police FC鈥檚 defender Issa Faisal and Abahani defender Alomgir Molla are expected to join the camp on Friday night, while other call-ups attended the first on-field training.
