Fahamidul Gets National Team Call-Up
Italy-based Bangladeshi footballer Fahamidul Islam has received a call-up to the Bangladesh national team camp ahead of the upcoming AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore. While the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has yet to officially announce the squad, Fahamidul’s club, Olbia Calcio, confirmed his selection.
In an official statement, Olbia Calcio said, “Fahamidul has been called up to join the national team camp. The official letter reached the club headquarters yesterday morning. The camp will begin on June 4 in preparation for a friendly match and the Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore on June 10.”
Fahamidul was previously included in the preliminary squad for the match against India but did not make the final cut. He had to return to Italy from the camp in Saudi Arabia—a decision that sparked significant controversy. At the time, head coach Javier Cabrera said, “He’s a talented player, but he needs more time.”
Following the India fixture, the National Team Committee recommended that Cabrera retain Fahamidul in future squads. The coach has since kept in contact with the midfielder and formally requested that Olbia Calcio 1905 offer him more playing time in preparation for international duties.
The national team camp is scheduled to begin on May 31. However, the Bangladesh Premier League concludes just two days earlier, on May 29, raising questions about the players’ readiness for back-to-back commitments. Before the Singapore clash, Bangladesh will play a friendly against Bhutan on June 4. Both matches will take place at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.
