Diplomatic Desk: The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) and the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka jointly celebrated their shared passion for football on Wednesday, with Pakistan donating 1,000 footballs to support grassroots football development across Bangladesh.
At a ceremony held at the BFF premises, Pakistan High Commissioner Imran Haider formally handed over the footballs, all manufactured in Pakistan, to BFF President Tabith Awal.
Speaking at the event, High Commissioner Haider highlighted Pakistan`s global reputation in sports goods manufacturing, particularly football production in Sialkot, which has earned worldwide recognition for its quality and craftsmanship. He noted that Sialkot has produced the official match balls for the 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 FIFA World Cups, underscoring Pakistan`s standing as a leader in the global football manufacturing industry.
He expressed hope that the donated footballs would further encourage Bangladeshi youth to embrace the sport and contribute to the continued growth of football at the grassroots level. During the event, the High Commissioner and BFF President Tabith Awal also discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in sports. Their discussions focused on expanding collaboration in areas such as sports medicine, international friendly matches, sports commerce, capacity-building initiatives, and exchange programmes involving college and university teams.
To mark the occasion, the Bangladesh Football Federation organized an exhibition match featuring Under-17 women`s football teams. High Commissioner Haider praised the young players for their skill, enthusiasm, and promising potential.
Receiving the donation, Tabith Awal thanked the Pakistan High Commission for the generous contribution and said the footballs would be distributed promptly among young footballers across the country.
"The footballs will be delivered to aspiring young players nationwide to help promote football at the grassroots level and support the development of future talent," Awal said.
The initiative reflects the growing sports cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan and highlights football as a platform for strengthening people-to-people ties, particularly among the youth of both countries.