The Bangladesh national bridge team left here for France on Friday to take part in the 43rd World Bridge Championships with at expectations of their maiden appearance in the global event.
The championship is scheduled to begin in Lyon from today (Saturday).
The seven-member bridge team comprised of six players and a coach.
Bangladesh Bridge Federation president Mushfiqur Rahman Mohon, also coach of the bridge team, will lead the team while captain Mirza Sajid Ispahani, Shah Ziaul Huq, Kamruzzaman Sohag, Rashedul Ahsan, Moshiur Rahman Nayeem and Asifur Rahman Chowdhury Razib will be playing in the main event, called the Bermuda Bowl, alongside 21 top teams from around the world.
The top eight teams will move into the second round.
This is the maiden appearance for Bangladesh as they fought grimly to finish as runners-up to qualify for the Championships from the South Asia and the Middle East zone, the qualifying phase for which took place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in April. India bagged the top position.
Bangladesh and Guadalupe are the only teams among the 22 who are participating in this championship that are amateurs otherwise all the others are professional sides.
