The supreme body of World Football, FIFA has, donated 7,000 Adidas football to Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) for the development of the game in the country.
FIFA Development Officer Dr Shaji Prabhakaran arrived here on Tuesday, to hand over the footballs to the BFF.
The FIFA official on Wednesday morning inspected the venue for laying down the FIFA-donated artificial turf at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mustafa Kamal Stadium in Kamlapur by this year.
Addressing a press conference at the BFF House Wednesday afternoon, Prabhakaran said: “We have come here to support Bangladesh football. We are initially providing some footballs from FIFA, not enough to meet the local demand. In future, we will come with more balls and support.”
“Bangladesh faced infrastructural problems (in football). So, football needs support from government like cricket,” he said, adding Kamlapur Stadium also needs the government support for floodlight, dressing room and parking areas.
Replying to a query, the FIFA official informed the newsmen that “top quality of FIFA certified turf, with a measurement of 105×68 meters, having an average lifetime of about 10 years, will be laid at the Kamlap;ur Stadium by this year.
BFF President Kazi Salahuddin, Senior Vice President Abdus Salam Murshedy and general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag also spoke at the press conference.
The BFF boss said: “On Tuesday, we placed some demand and proposals to the Sports Ministry for the development of the country’s football and they responded positively.”
“I think laying the artificial turf at the Kamlapur Stadium will be completed by this year and next year, we will be looking for another artificial turf at the Football Academy in Sylhet,” he added.
FIFA Technical Officer Vincent Subramaniam also arrived in the capital on Wednesday.
