Bangladesh will start their campaign in the 45-nation 18th Asian Games in Indonesia as their men’s football team taking on Uzbekistan in the opening Group B match at the Pakansari Stadium in Cibinong tomorrow (Tuesday).
The match will kick-off at 4 pm (local time).
Bangladesh was placed in four-team strong Group B of the 24-nation games football with Thailand, Uzbekistan and Qatar, will play Thailand on August 16 at the same venue and Qatar on August 19 at the Patriot Stadium in Bekasi.
Although the games will be formally inaugurated on August 18, but football competition have already began on August 10 and Bangladesh football team reached Indonesia on Saturday from South Korea after groomed themselves there for the mega games.
Meanwhile, a 163-member contingent including 117 athletes will represent Bangladesh in the 18th version of the games to be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2.
Indonesia is hosting the Asian Games for the 2nd times after Jakarta Games 1962 under President Soekarno.
Some 15,000 athletes and officials from 45 Asian nations will battle for the gold medals of the 463 events of the 16-day meet.
The 12th South Asian Games gold winning wrestler Mabia Akhter will carry the national flag of Bangladesh in the march past of the opening ceremony on August 18.
Out of the 40 discipline of sports, Bangladesh will compete in 14 sports-Archery, Athletics, Basketball, Golf, Football, Beach Volleyball, Bridge, Hockey, Kabaddi, Shooting, Swimming, Weightlifting, Wresting and Rowing.
Of the 14 sports, Bangladesh excepting good results in Shooting, Archery and Kabaddi.
In the 16th Asian Games held in the Chinese city of Guangzhou in 2010, Bangladesh men’s cricket team won gold medal, women’s cricket team earned silver medal and women’s kabaddi team won the bronze medal.
In the 17th Asiad in the South Korean city Incheon in 2014, Bangladesh women’s cricket team clinched the silver medal, men’s cricket team bronze medal and the women’s kabaddi bagged the bronze medal.
