Saff champs dedicate trophy to the people of Bangladesh
"This trophy belongs to the people of Bangladesh," Bangladesh women's national football team captain Sabina Khatun said
Bangladesh women's national football team captain Sabina Khatun dedicated the South Asian Football Federation (Saff) Women's Championship trophy to the nation.
"This trophy belongs to the people of Bangladesh," she said during a brief press conference at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after returning from Nepal on Wednesday.
The women's football team landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 1:40pm yesterday. State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel received the team at the airport; a cake was cut at the airport to celebrate the team's victory.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
"We thank the minister and the authorities for arranging such a warm welcoming programme to receive us," the national women's football team said during a press conference at the airport.
Coach Golam Rabbani Choton said: "We are very grateful to the prime minister and authorities for this."
Fans and supporters thronged the airport and received the champion girls with a grand celebratory welcome.
Since winning, there had been a demand from various quarters, starting from social media, to welcome the women's champion team from the airport on an open-top bus.
In response, the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC), the government's transport agency, prepared an open-top bus to welcome the victorious girls.
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Kazi Salahuddin said he wants the victorious Saff champions to give more effort in their endeavour to challenge at the Asian level.
He said this during a press briefing at the BFF House on Tuesday, the day after the women's team clinched their maiden Saff title by beating Nepal 3-1 in the final in Kathmandu.
