Bangladesh football team stuck in Nepal returns home

Dhaka [Bangladesh], September 11 (ANI): Members of the Bangladesh national football team, stuck due to the uprising in Nepal, arrived in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon aboard a Bangladesh Air Force C-130 aircraft.

"A total of 57 people, including 23 players of the Bangladesh national football team, coaches, officials, and journalists, have returned on a Bangladesh Air Force C-130 aircraft," journalist Omar Faruk Rubel, who accompanied the football team, told ANI.

"The Bangladesh national football team went to Kathmandu on September 3 to play a friendly match with Nepal," he added.

On September 6, the Bangladesh national football team played its first friendly match against Nepal. The match ended in a draw," Rubel said, noting that the second match, scheduled for September 9, could not take place due to the violent situation. Since then, the Bangladesh football team had been stuck in the Crown Imperial Hotel in Kathmandu.

In response to the unrest, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry had advised all Bangladeshi nationals who were living or stuck in Nepal not to move outside and to stay at their respective places or hotels.

The ministry had further cautioned inbound passengers against travelling to Nepal until further notice due to the prevailing security situation.

Alongside the 36-member national football team, a 51-member delegation from the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) in Mirpur, on an overseas study tour, was also stranded in Kathmandu, with their daily programmes cancelled.

Overall, approximately 100 Bangladeshi nationals, including government officials and football players on official visits, were stranded in the capital, while the number of Bangladeshi tourists visiting Nepal independently remained unconfirmed.

The Bangladesh Embassy reported receiving over 350 enquiries from citizens who were stuck in Nepal, mostly regarding Biman flight schedules, delays, and rescheduling.

It was estimated that around 500 Bangladeshi passengers of Biman Bangladesh Airlines were in Nepal. The Embassy confirmed that Biman would adjust flights based on the evolving security situation and in compliance with directives from Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority.

Meanwhile, Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli resigned on Tuesday as violent protests continued for the second day across various parts of the country, with four ministers having resigned earlier.

This came amid the backdrop of Nepal's 'Gen Z' protests, a widespread movement led by young people, primarily students, demanding accountability and transparency from the government.

The demonstrations had begun on September 8 in Kathmandu and other major cities, including Pokhara, Butwal, and Birgunj, following the government's ban on major social media platforms, citing tax revenue and cybersecurity concerns. (ANI)

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