Bangladesh hockey team will begin their AHF Cup title defence as they take on Kazakhstan in a Group B encounter in Jakarta today (6:00pm Bangladesh time)..Bangladesh are also targeting qualification for the upcoming Asian Cup, with only the top two teams advancing to the main event..

Experienced coach Mamun Ur Rashid has been appointed head coach of the Bangladesh national hockey team for April’s AHF Cup in Indonesia. A former national player (1989–2001), he previously coached the U-21 team four times and led the senior side in World Hockey League Round 2 in 2015. The 52-year-old spoke to The Daily Star’s Anisur Rahman about upcoming challenges and the activities of the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF). Excerpts of the conversation are below:

The former national player had previously guided the national hockey team during the second round of the World Hockey League in Singapore in 2015.

Army scored the winning goal four minutes from time when Ahsan Habib converted a penalty corner.

The history makers emphasised the need for a comprehensive training camp to prepare for the main event.

The men in red and green returned home on Thursday morning from Oman after finishing fifth, ending their campaign with three wins, two draws, and one loss in six matches.

Samin also urged the authorities to arrange an open-top bus to celebrate their “truly memorable” achievement upon their arrival on Friday.

The men in red and green will face Malaysia on Saturday.

Rafiqul Islam Kamal, one of the finest hockey players Bangladesh has ever produced, has paid rich tribute to veteran coach Fazlul Haque, who passed away in Dhaka on Wednesday. To Kamal, Fazlul was a ‘member of the family’ and a ‘dedicated soul for Bangladesh hockey’.

The 11th-grade BKSP student spoke to Anisur Rahman of The Daily Star after the team’s arrival from Singapore.

The men in red and green confirmed their semifinal and Junior Asia Cup berth before coming into their fourth and final pool match.

Fresh from back-to-back triumphs in the first two matches against Thailand and Hong Kong, the women in red and green posted an expected victory over Sri Lanka.

Usha KC emerged as the champions of the First Division Hockey League with a match in hand as they handed a 7-1 defeat to Dhaka United in their penultimate round match at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday. 

Amirul Islam slotted home a hat-trick in a 6-1 thrashing of Uzbekistan as the Bangladesh U-21 hockey team qualified for the semis as Pool B champions in the Men’s Junior AHF Cup with a 100 per cent record at the Sultan Qaboos Complex in Muscat, Oman on Sunday.

The Arafah Islami Bank 27th National Youth Hockey Championship gets underway tomorrow at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium, bringing back the youth competition to the hockey turf following a five-year gap.

Bangladesh exacted revenge over Oman for their Asian Games Qualifiers dribbling with a 2-1 win in the Asia Cup in Jakarta on Tuesday.

India’s bid to regain Asia Cup hockey title got off to a brilliant start when they handed a 5-1 defeat to Japan in the opening match of 10th Hero Asia Cup at Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium.

Dhaka and Bangladesh Army moved into the semifinals of the 31st ATN Bangla National Hockey Championship after contrasting wins in their respective quarterfinals yesterday.

Dhaka Education Board (DEB) and Bangladesh Navy moved into the semifinals of the 31st ATN Bangla National Hockey Championship yesterday.

Defending champions Faridpur were eliminated from the group stages of the ATN Bangla National Hockey Championship after suffering a 3-1 defeat – their second defeat in three matches -- against Chittagong at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium yesterday.