Curfew and Unrest in Kathmandu, Bangladesh Training Session Cancelled

The capital city of Kathmandu, Nepal, descended into sudden unrest on Monday afternoon as students and citizens launched protests against the government. In response to the deteriorating situation, the Nepalese government imposed a curfew across parts of the city.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh national football team, currently in Nepal for a two-match FIFA international friendly series, has been directly affected by the turmoil.

Bangladesh are scheduled to play their second friendly match against Nepal on Tuesday at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu. However, the civil unrest and imposition of the curfew have now cast doubt on whether the fixture can go ahead as planned.

As per the schedule, Jamal Bhuiyan’s side was due to train on Monday, but the team was forced to cancel their practice session due to security concerns.

Bangladesh team’s media manager, Sadman Sakib, speaking from Kathmandu, confirmed: “Our training was scheduled for 3:15 pm Nepal time. Around 2:30 pm, we were informed that the situation outside had become tense. Therefore, we could not leave for the training ground. The Bangladesh team is currently safe inside the hotel.”

Current Situation of Both Teams

Despite the uncertainty, the coaches and captains of both teams attended an official press conference on Monday morning to discuss the upcoming match.

If the fixture proceeds on Tuesday, Bangladesh will go into the game having missed two consecutive training days, while Nepal will enter with better preparation.

The final decision regarding the match is expected to depend on the political and security situation in Kathmandu overnight.