The Bangladesh national football team, stranded in Kathmandu since youth-led protests threw the country in chaos, returned home on Thursday afternoon alongside a small group of Bangladeshi nationals through a special Bangladesh Air Force flight.
Over 50 passengers, including 38 football team members, nearly a dozen journalists and others, were on board, a diplomat at the Bangladesh Embassy in Kathmandu told UNB.
He said around 400 Bangladesh nationals left Kathmandu on Thursday by two flights of Biman Bangladesh Airlines and the special aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force.
After the team was stranded, the Office of the Chief Adviser and the Ministry of Youth and Sports took urgent initiatives to ensure the quick and safe return of the players.
At the ministry's request, the Armed Forces Division arranged a special flight to bring back the booters.
Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan is in constant contact with the concerned authorities to ensure the national football team's safe return.
Earlier, Jamal Bhuyan and Co. remained confined in a hotel in Kathmandu after their flight to Dhaka was cancelled due to political violence, which forced the airport authorities to cancel all flights from Tribhuvan International Airport.
The Bangladesh national team was originally scheduled to return home on Wednesday last (Sept 10), but as the second and final FIFA friendly match against Nepal was called off following Monday's protest, the Bangladesh Football Federation rescheduled the flight from Wednesday to Tuesday.
Bangladesh's first friendly match against Nepal ended in a goalless draw, held on 6 September.
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