Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal has been named World Food Programme’s National Goodwill Ambassador in Bangladesh.

WFP confirmed Tamim’s appointment on June 1 through a press release.

“I am honoured to be named as National Goodwill Ambassador of WFP - the United Nations agency that fights hunger worldwide, including in my own country Bangladesh,” Tamim was quoted as saying in the release.

“Although Bangladesh has made impressive economic growth in recent years, poverty is still rampant, especially in rural parts of the country. For many, the current COVID-19 crisis is making their lives much more challenging. I hope to do my part to help WFP fight hunger and restore hope for families and communities that need our support,” he said.

As the Goodwill Ambassador Tamim will work to raise awareness about WFP programmes in Bangladesh which cover 64 districts across the country through its school feeding, nutrition, livelihoods, and refugee operations in Cox’s Bazar.

“As an accomplished athlete, beloved by many both inside and outside Bangladesh, Tamim brings with him not only his popularity and reach, but his incredible work ethic, compassion and humanitarian spirit. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have him joining our WFP family,” As Country Representative and Director for WFP Bangladesh, Richard Ragan, said.

A former footballer of national team SM Salauddin Ahmed died at his house in Sadar upazila on Sunday. He was 62.

He was suffering from pneumonia and breathed his last early morning.

Salauddin’s samples were tested for coronavirus but the report came negative on Saturday, said his nephew Mohaiminul Ahmed.  

He left behind wife and two sons and a host of relatives.

He was buried in local graveyard after completing his namaz e janaza at Tajek Prodhan High School ground in the afternoon.

Bangladesh authorities decided to not extend the public holidays to contain the spread of the coronavirus. From May 31, public and private offices will go operational on a limited scale. But there is still no sign of cricket to be resumed soon. 

The Bangladesh cricket fraternity is waiting to secure a green signal from the government, said general secretary of Crickets’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh Debabrata Paul. 

Right before the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League had taken the field in March but couldn’t continue more than two rounds. Since then all of the cricketers are passing time at home. 

“The authority decided to resume the essential service, and public transport is also set to be restarted on a limited scale. But we still don’t think the situation is fit to start playing cricket in Bangladesh again. We are waiting for the green signal of the government,” Paul told UNB on Saturday.

“We have to start our domestic cricket as soon as possible, but at the same time, we have to be cautious about the health of cricketers and the other stakeholders,” he added. 

Not just domestic cricket, Bangladesh’s international schedule is also on hold as the tours of Pakistan and Ireland have been postponed indefinitely. 

But it is domestic cricket that is most important to start again feels Paul. He said: “Most of our cricketers are dependent on their Dhaka League earnings. So whenever we get the situation right to start playing we have to start with Dhaka League. Bangladeshi footballers get chance to play in more than two leagues in a calendar year, but in cricket, we have only Dhaka League where most of our domestic cricketers get a chance to play and earn. We have to keep it in mind.”

Earlier, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) CEO, Nizamuddin Chowdhury, had also said the board is waiting for government’s suggestion regarding starting the game of cricket in Bangladesh again.

Former national footballer, Football Federation member and Dhaka Abahani Director Golam Rabbani Helal, passed away around Saturday noon.
 
The 67-year-old was on life support at Square Hospital since last Thursday where he was admitted after suffering a brain haemorrhage.
 
He left behind his wife, two daughters and a large number of admirers to mourn his death.
 
In the morning, his pulse was going down gradually and the medication was not working. Doctors tried to remove the blood clot in his brain but failed.
 
Helal had been suffering from kidney disease and undergoing dialysis for the last year. He also underwent an open-heart surgery after a cardiac arrest in April, 2017.
 
His Namaz-e-Janaza is scheduled to be held after Asr prayers at his favourite Abahani Club ground before his burial at the Azimpur graveyard. 
 
Helal played for the national team from 1979 to 1985. At the club level, he played for Dhaka Abahani regularly from 1975 to 1988 and had a short stint with BJMC. He also played for Bangladesh team in the Asian Youth Football in Dhaka in 1978.
 
He was one of four national footballers sent to jail along with three Abahani players – Salahuddin, Chunnu and Anwar – following a Dhaka derby clash with traditional rivals Mohammedan SC in 1982. 
 
After retiring from football, Helal become the director of Dhaka Abahani and served the club in different capacities. Helal also served Bangladesh Football Federation as an executive committee member from 2008.
 
Meanwhile, BFF President Kazi Salahuddin and other officials and staff expressed their condolences at the passing away of the former national booter. 

Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful and his wife Anika Taslima have been blessed with a baby boy on Friday afternoon.

Ashraful requested his fans and the countrymen to keep them in prayers.

“My wife Anika gave birth to a baby boy today at the Square Hospital, Dhaka. Both mother and baby are doing well. Please keep us in your prayers,” Ashraful told the media.

This is the second time the couple has been blessed with a baby. They also have a daughter. 

Read Also:Coronavirus: Ashraful donates 3 months of his salary

Currently, all cricketing activities are on hold around the globe due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

However, the cricket authority of the country is working hard to find out a way to resume cricket as soon as possible.