Former national footballer Sheikh Mohammad Aslam has tested positive of Covid-19 along with a few members of his family, the former football-star confirmed to the media. 

Before him, Badol Roy, another former footballer vice-president of Bangladesh Football Federation, had also been tested positive of Covid-19 but he recovered later. 

“I have been tested positive of Covid-19 along with my wife, younger daughter, mother-in-law and caretaker of our home. All of us now are taking treatment at home,” Aslam told the media on Sunday. 

He urged the people, who met him in the last few days, to undergo a Covid-19 test if they show any symptoms of the deadly virus which has left at least 4200 dead in Bangladesh. 

“I would like to request you to undergo a Covid-19 test if you met me in the last few days and show any symptoms. And, please take precaution so that you cannot be exposed to the virus,” Aslam further added. 

In his playing-days, Aslam represented Abahani and Mohammedan. He was one of the best footballers in the country during his time. He also represented Bangladesh national team for a few years.

Also read: Coronavirus: Bangladesh reports 42 deaths, 1,897 cases

The Vice-President of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Mohiuddin Ahmed Mohi has been tested positive for Coronavirus on Sunday.

He is now in isolation and taking treatment at his Gopibagh residence in the capital.

BFF President Kazi Md Salahuddin, Senior Vice-President, Vice-Presidents, Executive Committee members, General Secretary, and other BFF officials in a media release on Monday sought blessing from all for his quick recovery.

Earlier, BFF another Vice President cum former star national footballer Badal Roy and former national booter Hassanuzzaman Khan Bablu also tested positive for Coronavirus and now in under treatment.

The Bangladesh National Football team’s remaining four Group E Joint Qualifications matches of the FIFA World Cup Qatar' 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023, have been postponed till 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The remaining Group E matches were originally scheduled for March-April this year but the coronavirus-enforced lockdown shifted the matches to October-November.

As per the previous schedule, Bangladesh will play Afghanistan India and Oman on October 8, November 12 and 17 respectively in their home matches all at the Sylhet Stadium while they will meet the  Asian champions Qatar in their lone away match on Oct 13 in Doha. 

However, with COVID still rampant across countries, AFC and FIFA have jointly decided to further postpone the matches to next year. Exact dates and the fixtures will be revealed later.

“With the aim of protecting the health and safety of all participants, FIFA and the AFC will continue to work together to closely monitor the situation in the region and to identify new dates for the respective qualifying matches,” said a joint statement issued by FIFA and AFC on August 12. 

In light of the current COVID-19 situation in many countries, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have jointly decided that the upcoming qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023, originally scheduled to take place during the international match windows in October and November 2020, will be rescheduled to 2021.

Further details on the new dates for the joint qualifying matches will be announced in due course, the statement added.

Earlier, Bangladesh started their campaign in FIFA and AFC joint qualifiers with a 0-1 defeat against Afghanistan in the first match in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe on September 10, conceded a 0-2 goals defeat against Asian champions Qatar in the second match in Dhaka on October 10, played to a 1-1 draw against India in their third match in Kolkata on October 15 and conceded 1-4 goals defeat against Oman in the fourth match at the Seeb Sports Stadium in Al Seeb city of Oman on November 14 last year.    

In the five-team Group E, Qatar is now leading the point table with 13 points from five matches while Bangladesh are at the bottom place with one point from four matches. Among others, Oman secured 12, Afghanistan 4 and India 3 points.                

Bangladesh national football team, which already started their isolation practice camp for the FIFA and AFC Joint Qualifiers with 30 players out of initially selected 36 at Sarah Resort in Gazipur from August 5, has been postponed from Thursday (Aug 13) following the decision of their Apex body.

But, 18 booters out of 30 were initially found positive in the coronavirus reports soon after their arrival at Sarah Resort.

Later, all the 3O players with six team officials were tested again by two separate medical teams last Monday. 

In the latest reports received on Wednesday, seven booters -- Tutul Hosssin Badsha, Rabiul Hasan, SM Bablu, Shahidul Alam, Biswanath Ghosh, Faisal Ahmed Fahim and Anisur Rahman --were found Corona virus positive. 

Three more booters--Riadul Hasan, Rayhan Hasan and Rakib Hossain -- carrying some virus symptoms and they will be under BFF close observations.

The much talked about election of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), which was postponed on March 27 due to outbreak of deadly Coronavirus in the country, has now been rescheduled for October 3.

The BFF re-fixed the new date for annual general meeting (AGM) and election of the federation in its 19th regular executive committee meeting held at BFF conference room through video conference on Tuesday (Aug 11) with its president Kazi M Salahuddin in the chair.

The BFF meeting also cancelled the Bangladesh Premier League and Bangladesh Championship League Football season 2019-20 due to Coronavirus pandemic. 

The meeting was informed that, FIFA approved US dollar 1.5 millions for Bangladesh under it's Covid-19 Relief plan. 

After the meeting, BFF senior vice president Abdus Salam Murshedy MP said, "We are initially decided to hold BFF annual general meeting and election on October 3 following the guideline of FIFA during Covid-19 pandemic."

A total of 139 organisers from different clubs and districts will exercise their voting rights in the upcoming election, likely to be held in Sonargaon Hotel in the capital subject to consent of the government. 

Earlier, the BFF had postponed its much talked about elections on March 27 as it's incumbent executive committee members and the delegates raised their voice against BFF's intention to hold elections on April 20 amidst the coronavirus pandemic. 

However, the FIFA extended the tenure of the present BFF executive committee, which had expired on April 30, till the new elections and also advised them to hold it's elections when the coronavirus situation in Bangladesh improved".

Although the BFF postponed its elections in March, but they continued the election procedure by preparing final voter lists on June 7 during  the coronavirus pandemic.

In the situation, two BFF vice presidents Badal Roy and Mohiuddin Mohi requested the game's governing body FIFA to take necessary steps against some irregularities in BFF voter list and to defer the upcoming BFF polls till the country's coronavirus situation fully improved.

In June, the apex body of world football, the FIFA, advised Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) not to hold its elections until Coronavirus situation in Bangladesh improves.

It is assumed that FIFA instructions came in wake of the BFF vice presidents Badal Roy and Mohiuddin Ahmed Mohi's letter to FIFA complaining about some irregularities in the voter list.  

The isolation practice camp of the national football team for the remaining four Joint Qualification matches of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023, begins on Wednesday (August 5) at Sara Resort in Gazipur.

Out of initially selected 36 booters, 12 new and comparatively junior booters will join the camp on the first day (Wednesday) while the remaining footballers are scheduled to join camp in batches on August 6 and 7 respectively depending on their Covid-19 test reports.

Three injured booters of Bashundhara Kings -- Masuk Mia Zony, Motin Mia and Atiqur Rahman Fahad--will not join camp as the club did not release them. 

Bangladesh-origin Denmark citizen and Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuiyan and Tariq Raihan Kazi, a player of Finland U-17 and U-19 team, who receive a fresh call for the Bangladesh national squad, will not able to join the camp on schedule as they failed to manage air tickets due to travel restriction to Bangladesh.

However, the BFF maintaining a close touch with two booters for make them available in Bangladesh at an earliest possible time.

Earlier, the  BFF announced the 36-member  preliminary squad on July 26 with a mixture of youth an experienced players, drafted by national head coach Jamie Day, including four fresh booters--Tariq Raihan Kazi  (Bashundhara Kings) , Nazmul Islam Russel, MS Bablu (Bangladesh Police) and Sumon Reza (Uttar Baridhara). 

The local players are out of the any footballing activities since last March due to outbreak of deadly Coronavirus in the country. So, the BFF has decided to call a big squad of 36 members initially before it reduced to 23- member final squad.

Among the 36 booters, maximum 14 booters picked up from Bashundhara Kings, seven each from Dhaka Abahani and Saif SC, three from Chattagram Abahani, two each from Sheikh Russel KC and Bangladesh Police and one from Uttar Baridhara.

The selected footballers will join the practice camp under the local instructors as per guideline of the reappointed  Head Coach of Bangladesh National  Football Team Jamie Day, who is expected to arrive here on August 16 to take over the charge eyeing on some points from the matches playing a positive football.

As per the new schedule, Bangladesh will play Afghanistan India and Oman on October 8, November 12 and 17 respectively in their home matches all at the Sylhet Stadium while they will meet the  Asian champions Qatar in their lone away match on Oct 13 in Doha.

Earlier, Bangladesh started their campaign in FIFA and AFC joint qualifiers with a 0-1 defeat against Afghanistan in the first match in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe on September 10, conceded a 0-2 goals defeat against Asian champions Qatar in the second match in Dhaka on October 10, played to a 1-1 draw against India in their third match in Kolkata on October 15 and conceded 1-4 goals defeat against Oman in the fourth match at the Seeb Sports Stadium in Al Seeb city of Oman on November 14 last year.    

In the five-team Group E, Qatar is now leading the point table with 13 points from five matches while Bangladesh are at the bottom place with one point from four matches. Among others, Oman secured 12, Afghanistan 4 and India 3 points.                  

Selected 36 booters are: Custodians -Ashraful Islam Rana, Anisur Rahman Zico, Shahidul Islam Sohel and Pappu Hosssin.

Defenders- Tapu Barmon, Yesin Khan, Biswanath Ghosh, SusantaTripura, Tutul Hossain Badsha, Rayhan Hassan, Rahmat Mia, Yeasir Arafat, Tariq Raihan Kazi and Manjurul Rahman Manik,

Midfielders- Atiqur Rahman Fahad, Rabiul Hasan, Biplu Ahmed, Mohammad Ibrahim, Masuk Mia Zony, Mamunul Islam Mamun, Sohel Rana, Arifur Rahman, Riadul Hasan, Jamal Bhuiyan, Manik Hossain Mollah, Rakib Hossain and Nazmul Islam Russell.

Forwards- Mahbubur Rahman Sufil, Motin Miah, Towhidul Alam Sabuj, Saaduddin, Nabib Newaj Jibon, Faisal Ahmed Fahim, Mohammad Abdullah, MS Bablu and Sumon Reza.