With the objective to enliven the country’s hockey and bring back the lost popularity, Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) with the association of ACE, a sister concern of the Bashundhara Group are going to kick off the Franchise-based Hockey tournament Champions Trophy Hockey from the last week of October.
Organised by BHF, the Franchisee Hockey, first ever concept in Bangladesh is expected to get underway after the name of five divisions and the river Padma from October 28.
The ACE signed on a five years deal with the BHF to run the Franchisee Hockey.
Hockey, once one of the second popular sports in Bangladesh, in fact hockey was second considering the popularity in the country’s sports.
From the early 80s to late late-90s the Premier Division (once First division) Hockey was very much popular, when the star players of the world, specially, from India and Pakistan played here.
Players like Shahbaz Ahmed, who was called the Hockey’s Maradona, Dhanraj Pillay of India, Taher Zaman along with their Pakistani and India compatriots – star players played here for big clubs – Mohammedan Sporting Club, Abahani Limited, Mariners Youngs, Usha Krira Chakra, Sonali Bank, Sdharan Bima and some others. However, the golden era of hockey started to downward from early 2000 when the officials of the BHF engaged with ugly politics to hold the position of the federation and the grouping among them country’s hockey lost its popularity and the glory when the league also became irregular.
However, this time the corporate house (Bashundhara Group) lent their hands to introduce a new era of country’s hockey working with the BHF and set almost everything to make a beginner of Franchise Hockey tournament an initiative to bring back the glory of country’s hockey.
The preliminary stage of beginning the franchise tournament has already completed when the name of six participate teams have already been announced, while apart from Bashundhara some other corporate houses also joined with the BHF as they owned different team - Monark Mart Padma, ACMI Chottagram, Saif Powertec Khulna, Metro Express Barisal, Walton Dhaka and Rupayan Group Cumilla.
Meanwhile, Shakib Al Hassan country’s top cricket star is the owner of Monark Mart Padma.
However, Yousuf Ali, acting general secretary of the BHF, when talking to the Bangladesh Post on Saturday expected if they could successfully organize the tournament will help to get back its popularity.
“To organize the tournament, is a step to bring back the lost popularity of country’s hockey.”
“We are now preparing the tournament’s rules and regulations but some of the decisions have already taken as, each of the team will have 18-member squad when five foreign payers will be allowed for registration.”
Replying to a query, Yousuf said, “Including five foreign players the squad will be 18 members when four foreigners will be in the starting line-up to field.”
