FIFA-funded Kamalapur, Arambagh turfs reopen

Two newly-laid artificial turfs have finally been opened for play after nine months, as Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmmud Shajib Bhuiyan and Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Tabith Awal inaugurated the FIFA Forward-funded projects on Tuesday.

Asif inaugurated the turf at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur, whereas Tabith presided over the opening of the one adjacent to the BFF House in Arambagh.

The projects, launched in mid-December last year, cost about 1.03 million dollars (around Tk 13 crore) under FIFA Forward funding, covering turf installation, sub-base repairs, and renovation of the BFF's dressing rooms.

The new turfs are expected to last around 15 years. The previous ones, installed in 2011 and 2015, served for 13 and nine years respectively.

Football activities in Kamalapur had been on hold for nine months during the installation work, disrupting lower-division, age-group and women's competitions due to a shortage of venues. With both facilities now ready, the Senior Division Football League is expected to return to Kamalapur next month.

Under FIFA Forward Projects 1, 2 and 3, Bangladesh received 7.25 million dollars in total, of which the Bangladesh Football Federation has so far spent only 0.65 million on competition purposes. About 6.16 million dollars remain for establishing the BFF Excellence Centre in Cox's Bazar. Work must begin by December, after the government allocated new land in Rashidnagar following the cancellation of the Ramu site.

"The land is under process in the land ministry," said Asif. "Hopefully, we won't face the risk of the funds being returned to FIFA. We'll coordinate the matter with the land ministry and the BFF."

The Youth and Sports Adviser also stressed the need for a long-term plan for sports development. "We need a clear vision of what we want to achieve over the next 10 years," he said.

The BFF boss added that the new facilities would enable the BFF to host more domestic tournaments and bid for age-group international events in Dhaka.