As part of their build-up to the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers, Bangladesh will face Jordan and Indonesia in a tri-nation FIFA friendly series in Amman on May 31 and June 3.

"… our team will leave the country on May 27 because coach Peter Butler wants to go there early for training," Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) women's wing chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiron told reporters at the BFF House on Thursday, adding that the first opponents are yet to be confirmed.

"Jordan (74) and Indonesia (94) are ahead of Bangladesh in FIFA ranking, but we wanted to face strong opponents before starting the Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign, so that the coach can understand how to better prepare the girls before the Qualifiers. That's why we have decided to play against Jordan and Indonesia," further informed Kiron, also an executive member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Mahfuza Akter Kiran. Photo: BFF

National team training had begun on April 6 under English head coach Peter Butler, with over 40 players in camp. Meanwhile, nine senior players have temporarily joined various Bhutanese clubs to take part in the Bhutan Women's Football League, prompting questions about the coach's squad selection for the friendlies.

Kiron, however, assured that appropriate action would be taken if the coach wished to include those players.

In the Asian Cup Qualifiers, scheduled for June 29 to July 5, Bangladesh have been drawn in Group C alongside hosts Myanmar, Bahrain and Turkmenistan. Only the group winners will advance to the 12-team final round.

She also addressed questions over the logic behind releasing players for foreign club duty so close to a major international campaign.

L-R: Monika Chakma, Rupna Chakma, Matsushima Sumaiya, Sanjida Akter, Maria Manda, Sabina Khatun, Rituporna Chakma, Masura Parvin and Shamsunnahar Jr. pose for a group picture, ahead of their respective club campaigns in Bhutan. Photo: BFF

"It has been logical because you know they have been going through a matter and they needed a mental recreation and change, so they also wanted to play there for their change and return to better form. That's why they were given permission to play there," Kiran said.

She confirmed that the nine players in Bhutan would rejoin the national team when called up and noted that all of them, along with eight others, would be brought under BFF contracts.