Dhaka to host four-nation women’s handball tournament

Dhaka will host the IHF Nations Trophy women’s handball tournament from 18 to 22 October, with Bangladesh, India, Nepal and the Maldives competing for the title at the Captain M Mansur Ali Stadium in Paltan.

The tournament, named in honour of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, was announced at a press conference at the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) auditorium on Wednesday.

The competition will follow a round-robin format, with each team facing the other three sides. Two league matches will be played daily from 18 to 20 October, followed by the bronze-medal match on 21 October and the final on 22 October.

Bangladesh captain Ismatara Nishi expressed confidence in reaching the final after three months of preparation, during which the preliminary squad of 90 players was reduced to 17.

Spanish coach Ana Alonso Fragua said the team aimed to build a strong foundation for the future while giving its best in the competition.

Bangladesh Handball Federation General Secretary Salahuddin Ahmed said Yemen and Afghanistan had withdrawn due to geopolitical and regulatory constraints. He added that the tournament would help Bangladesh prepare for the upcoming South Asian Games.

The event is being organised jointly by the federation, the tournament committee and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The opening ceremony will take place on 18 October at 11:00am, with State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque expected to attend as chief guest. Cultural programmes are also planned for the opening and closing days.