Hamza to play for Bangladesh: How it unfolded and what it means for Bangladesh football

What was once a far-fetched dream is now on the verge of becoming a reality. While Bangladeshi football fans keep a close eye on European football, the idea of someone from their own country reaching that level seemed beyond imagination. Football, once a craze, had long lost its charm in Bangladesh, crushed under the weight of corruption, mismanagement, and a lack of nurturing for talent. It was a sport on life support. But "was" is the key word here—because there's a new light of hope shining on Bangladeshi football. A buzz is reverberating through every neighbourhood: Hamza Choudhury is coming!

The thought of someone who has played in the English Premier League donning Bangladesh's red and green jersey has always felt like pure fantasy. But not anymore. In just a few days, a 27-year-old midfielder with a head full of curly hair, who has been a mainstay at Leicester City, will step onto the field wearing the colours of Bangladesh. A former captain of the Premier League-winning side, Hamza has also lifted the FA Cup and competed in UEFA's Europa League and Conference League tournaments.

Bangladesh have had players of Bangladeshi descent represent the national team before. Jamal Bhuyan, the current captain, has played 84 matches for the team and remains a pivotal figure. But no one has ever come close to Hamza's level. Tariq Kazi is the only other Bangladeshi player to have competed in European club football, but this—this is the English Premier League we're talking about.

Imagine Hamza, wearing the Bangladesh jersey at a Bangladeshi Stadium, dazzling the opposition with his footwork, only to return days later to Anfield, Old Trafford, or St. James' Park to play in the English top tier football. Just the thought sends shivers down the spine, doesn't it? But how did this extraordinary turn of events come to be? What ties Hamza to Bangladesh? And how did the stars align to make this happen?

Hamza was born in England to a Bangladeshi mother, whose ancestral home lies in Habiganj district, Sylhet. He has visited Bangladesh and even travelled to Sylhet. Yet, his connection to Bangladesh goes beyond familial ties—it's been a journey years in the making. It all began in 2016. A significant share of the credit for bringing Hamza into Bangladesh's football conversation goes to Arefin Zeesan, a devoted supporter of Bangladeshi football, who tirelessly raises awareness through social media. Zeesan recalls, "After Leicester City won the Premier League in 2016, I started looking into their squad. Among their academy players, I noticed a name—Hamza Choudhury. It sounded like a name from the subcontinent. Digging deeper, I found out about his Bangladeshi roots." From then on, Zeesan and his colleagues began writing about Hamza, advocating for him to represent Bangladesh.

The next breakthrough came through Rashedul Islam, a former Bangladesh national team player and the manager of Fortis FC. In 2019, while working as a sports journalist, Rashedul established the first direct contact with Hamza. Rashedul managed to acquire Hamza's number through his own sources and reached out to him. Reflecting on his first conversation with Hamza, Rashedul said, "We spoke over a video call for about 10 minutes. He had just returned from Italy after playing for England Under-21s. At that time, he was still deeply engrossed in his dream of playing for England."

Rashedul continued, "I kept wondering how I could bring up the idea of playing for Bangladesh. Summoning some courage, I mentioned Jamal as an example and went ahead with it. Hamza, speaking in a regional accent, said it would be fantastic to play for Bangladesh. But he also mentioned that he wanted to try for England for another two years first. And now, Hamza is ours—playing for Bangladesh."

Meanwhile, a page called "Save Bangladesh Football" also played a pivotal role in keeping Hamza connected to his Bangladeshi roots. By flooding his social media posts with comments and reminders of his heritage, the group's one of the admins, led by Din Mohammad, ensured Hamza never forgot. "We made reel after reel, post after post. We even created tifos for him and organised rallies to push the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) to act," Din recalls.

The BFF, to their credit, responded positively. Despite the lengthy process, their persistence paid off. Hamza applied for a Bangladeshi passport in June, received it in August, and shortly after, the English Football Association granted the necessary clearance.

Hamza isn't the first expatriate Bangladeshi player to represent the country. Jamal Bhuyan set the precedent in 2013, and Tariq Kazi followed in 2019. But Hamza's arrival is different. He's played at the highest levels of European football, making his inclusion a monumental moment for Bangladesh.

Hamza has expressed his commitment to transforming football in Bangladesh. Speaking to The Athletic, he said: "It's something that's been in the works for a couple of years. I represented England in the youth team, but as my career progressed, it came to fruition that this is not an option for me. It's something I've definitely always had in the back of my mind, that I'd like to represent Bangladesh — and the people of Bangladesh, more importantly. I've got a really good connection with the fans in Bangladesh. I get messages every day letting me know that they want me to come and play."

He continued, "I also feel like it's something that I wanted to do to have some more exposure for Bangladesh on the footballing stage. I hope I can open up channels for more Bangladeshis to play in the top five leagues or in Europe or just have a way of getting themselves into the bigger leagues and giving them some more exposure."

BFF President Tabith Awal is equally optimistic. "I hope Hamza's inclusion will inspire other expatriate Bangladeshi footballers to play for the national team," he said. "Players like Hamza will elevate the standard of the national team. He's a brand in himself, but for now, our focus is on building a winning team."

Hamza Choudhury's arrival has already sparked excitement among fans who had long turned their backs on the sport. When he steps onto the field in Bangladesh's colours, the stadium is certain to be packed to the rafters. Whether he can restore football's lost glory in the country remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—Hamza is a beacon of hope for Bangladeshi football.