Today, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Vice-President Fahad Karim said, “Samit has informed us that he wants to play for Bangladesh. He has asked about the process for obtaining a passport and how long it might take.”
Samit Som had asked for two weeks to make a final decision. Finally, on Friday (April 11), he informed the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) that he wishes to represent Bangladesh wearing the red and green jersey.
Sources have confirmed that with Samit’s positive response, BFF will begin the process of making his passport starting Sunday.
Bangladesh’s next match in the Asian Cup qualifiers is scheduled against Singapore in Dhaka on June 10. BFF aims to complete Samit’s passport and other formalities before that match.
The 27-year-old, of Bangladeshi descent, was born in Canada. Both his parents are Bangladeshi, so BFF believes there should not be much difficulty in obtaining his Bangladeshi passport. However, since Samit has already played for the Canadian national team, FIFA’s approval will also be required.
If all procedures are completed in time, the football federation is planning to debut Samit in the match against Singapore. Regarding this, Fahad Karim said, “Samit has also shown interest and has inquired about Bangladesh’s upcoming matches.”
Samit currently plays as a midfielder for Cavalry FC in the Canadian Premier League. He represented Canada’s U-20 team in 7 matches in 2016 and the U-21 team in 4 matches in 2018. In 2020, he played 2 matches for the Canadian senior national team.
Jamal Bhuiyan was the first footballer of Bangladeshi descent to connect with BFF. Born in Denmark, Jamal made his debut for Bangladesh’s national team in 2013. Later, Tariq Kazi, born in Finland, joined the team. Most recently, Hamza Choudhury, who plays in the English Premier League, made his debut for Bangladesh in the match against India this past March — a moment that surpassed all previous excitements.
