Argentine football legend Diego Maradona will come to Bangladesh in 2020 as part of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s 100th birth anniversary, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Kazi Salahuddin told the media on Tuesday.
Although the time and activities of the World Cup winner has not been fixed as yet, Salahuddin said Maradona will come here as BFF’s guest to be part of the celebration.
“Maradona has given his consent to our invitation to come to Bangladesh as part of Bangabandhu’s 100th birth anniversary. Since there are a lot of events to be held as part the celebration, it is yet to be decided when he would come,” Salahuddin told.
Maradona is expected to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during his visit to Bangladesh as well as take part in several football-related events.
“It’s confirmed that Diego Maradona is coming, but details and his itinerary is yet to be fixed,” BFF General Secretary Abu Nayeem Shohagh said.
BFF will host the sixth edition of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup International Tournament from January 15 to 25 as the first event of the birth anniversary celebrations of the Father of the Nation.
Maradona, who is currently the coach of Argentine Primera División club Gimnasia de La Plata is an all-time great and the left-footed genius won Argentina their second world title in 1986 with performances that will continue to be a major part of world football’s history. He also coached Argentina in the 2010 World Cup but his side was eliminated the tournament against Germany in the quarterfinals stage.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Nation, was born on March 17 in 1920 at Tungipara village of Gopalganj. The Awami League under his leadership had spearheaded the freedom movement which led to the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971.
His 100th birth anniversary will be in 2020. Naming the years of 2020 and 2021 as Mujib Barsha or Mujib Year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has pledged to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary with people from all echelons if society through yearlong programmes.
