Bangladeshi booters are now in Shillong to participate in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. Their opponent is India, who will be playing before a host crowd and the high-altitude chill of Shillong. Against the formidable opponent, the newest member of the team, Hamza Choudhury, has made a rallying cry. In his Sylheti accent, he declared, "We will win against India." This jolt of belief coming from the former England U21 international player, with Premier League experience for Leicester City and Sheffield United, signals something new for Bangladeshi football.

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has been scouting for players with dual nationality for some time now. Danish-Bangladeshi Jamal Bhuyan and Finnish-Bangladeshi Tariq Kazi have been instrumental in reviving our football. According to a football fan page, there are nearly 30 foreign-born players with Bangladeshi roots who could be considered for our national cause. Then again, we need to be realistic in thinking that our diasporic footballers are willing to sacrifice the comfort of developed countries to relocate to a country that lacks basic amenities.

To make the imported inspiration sustainable, we need to create an ecosystem for our players. This process includes a long-term vision, building of infrastructure, investment in youth development, and inculcation of national pride beyond political badges.

We need to be bifocal, admitting that the optics should focus on both the near and the far, both home and abroad. We must pursue the resources of foreign-born talent as part of a larger institutional strategy. Overreliance on these figures may give the local players the impression that they will soon be replaced by outsiders. We must present the integration of foreign-trained players as the nation's mission to enhance its football sector, benefiting all stakeholders, including the local players. The presence of players like Hamza must serve to inspire local players to work hard for the team.

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The media hype over Hamza is understandable. If he can seamlessly integrate into our system, he can inspire other Bangladeshi-origin players to join our national set-up. Unless the players find the same professional atmosphere, coaching services, and training facilities, they may not be interested in moving to Bangladesh. For the betterment of both these foreign-born/trained players and our homegrown ones, we must focus on developing our infrastructure. We must ensure that our homegrown players are developed with equal care and attention. Above all, we must avoid any system that prioritises or privileges one group of players over others. A lot will depend on the coach. And we must respect his decision because he is the one who understands team dynamics.

For long-term sustainability, we need sports diplomacy that forges strategic partnerships with footballing nations such as Japan, Germany, and South Korea. The government can create bursaries for local talents to train abroad or earn diplomas. Instead of sending officials on foreign tours, we need exchange programmes that facilitate our players' access to elite training methods. Hosting foreign teams for friendly matches can also give our local players the necessary exposure to stockpile their abilities.

Once these young athletes have completed their training abroad, they will not only strengthen their skills but also introduce international standards and discipline lacking in our local system.

We have not heard anything remarkable about the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan (BKSP) in recent years. It requires a complete overhaul. Without a curriculum upgrade and certified, international-standard coaching staff, BKSP cannot become the desired centre of talent cultivation. As part of sports diplomacy, overseas missions can encourage donor countries to further support this institute.

In cases of women's football, we have seen how a remote village football academy at Kalsindur in Mymensingh produced a number of footballers who brought us glory in the SAFF championship. Most of our players do not even see a proper football pitch. We need funding and sponsors for turf fields, training facilities, and local academies in every division. Such investment is essential for the growth of football.

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In the 1990s, there was a sports lottery that helped the federation generate funds. We bought those tickets not necessarily to win a million but to support our sports. I think the federation needs to come up with creative funding projects to build turf in all districts. For talent hunts, there can be an "adopt-a-player" scheme, where philanthropic individuals or corporate bodies, through their CSR, can sponsor a young player's career.

Hamza's inclusion should not be the peak of our sporting efforts; it must be the beginning of a long-term journey. For a robust player development framework, we need to identify raw talents from their early teens and offer them advice related to nutrition, mental strength, and career roadmaps. In 2004, I attended a youth recruitment programme while working at the University of London Union. We invited hundreds of students between the ages of 10 and 18 to showcase their potential for the 2012 London Olympics. To be successful in the international arena, there are no shortcuts.

Sports is a career that is full of both thrills and uncertainties. Injury, lack of motivation, or financial barriers often interrupt the career of a promising player. So selecting a player is just one part of the system: a national development system, comprising the federation, local clubs and regional authorities, should take responsibility for curating—not just selecting—talent.

We need to recognise the unifying power of sport. In a nation often fragmented by politics and region, football (as well as cricket) has the rare power to bring us together. It is a stage where our dream becomes one. The other reason for investing in sports involves the fact that it answers to one of Bangladesh's greatest challenges: youth engagement. With rising unemployment and disillusionment, sport can become a national platform for inspiration, discipline, and identity.

While we wish our booters the best of luck for their away game in India, we need to renew our commitment to building a footballing culture rooted in professionalism, patriotism, and policy. With thoughtful scouting, strong institutions, global exposure, and nationwide infrastructure, Bangladesh can not only return to its former footballing glory but surpass it.

Dr Shamsad Mortuza is professor of English at Dhaka University.

Views expressed in this article are the author's own.

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