The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh is keen to host the eight-team Asia Cup Hockey finals next year to make the game more popular in the country and continue its success achieved in Singapore by clinching the AHF Cup title with unbeaten run.

Bangladesh hosted the 2nd Asia Cup Hockey in Dhaka in 1985 in a befitting manner with huge enthusiasm among the hockey fans in the country.

The venue of the next Asia Cup Hockey finals will be decided in an executive committee meeting of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) to be held during the upcoming Asian Junior meet in Hyderabad.

Malaysia, India, Brunei Darussalam and Macau are also reportedly interested to host the prestigious Asia Cup, Hockey Federation General Secretary Sajed AA Adel told UNB on Monday.

But there would be no representation of Bangladesh in the AHF meeting as the EC member and former general secretary of Hockey Federation Shamsul Bari had declined to attend the meeting on health ground, Sajed said.

Moreover, the interested country has to fulfil three pre-conditions to host the prestigious meet.

The host country will have to pay US$20,000 to the AHF as fee, apart from ensuring floodlight facilities and electronics scoreboard at the stadium.

"We are still hopeful to compete in the bid to host the Asia Cup finals, as we are maintaining close touch with the AHF members," Adel added.