The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

World football body FIFA will give more donation to Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) to build an artificial football turf for the development of youth football in the country.

AFC vice president Monilal Fernando, who arrived here Wednesday night on a short visit, disclosed this at a press conference at the BFF conference room Thursday afternoon.

Fernando said the work to lay the turf is likely to start next January on a vacant land in Arambagh beside the BFF Bhaban at a cost of US$ 400,000 under the FIFA's "Goal Project 2".

The AFC vice president met with National Sports Council (NSC) chairman General Moeen U Ahmed today to discuss the availability of the piece of land as well as development of football in the country.

Fernando said the NSC chairman assured to extend his helping hand wholeheartedly. "The NSC chairman assured me to hand over the vacant land, which is under NSC jurisdiction, to the BFF to build the artificial turf."

In addition, FIFA would give more donation to BFF under its "Goal Project 3" to build a Football Academy in Savar, the AFC vice president informed.

BFF president SA Sultan, who was present at the press conference, said: "We are fortunate to have more donations from FIFA. We'll try to find out khas land at Savar for the (football) academy."

Earlier, FIFA allocated US$ 250,000 under its "Goal Project 1" to the BFF to build a Football Academy in Cox's Bazar and a football training center in Barisal.

BFF already got eight acres of khas land in Barisal to build the football-training center, but is yet to get any suitable land in Cox's Bazar for the football academy. The construction work of football-training center in Barisal will start soon.

BFF senior vice president Monir Ahmed, vice president Abdur Rahim and acting general secretary Manjoor Hossain Malu were also present at the press conference.

After his short trip, the AFC vice president was due to leave here Thursday night.