Booters receive promised Tk 2 crore bonus for beating India

Twenty-two days after their win over India in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, Bangladesh's national football team received their promised bonus on Wednesday.

Following the 1-0 victory over India in Dhaka on November 18, the Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud had announced a bonus of Tk 2 crore for the team. The financial reward was officially handed over on Wednesday at the National Sports Council (NSC) building.

Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuiyan, team manager Amer Khan and Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) general secretary Imran Hossain Tushar collected the cheque from Laboni Chakma, NSC's director of training.

Among the recipients were the 23 footballers in the squad, including Hamza Choudhury and Shamit Shome, along with head coach Javier Cabrera and manager Amer. Each of them received Tk 7 lakh. Five other members of the coaching staff were awarded Tk 5 lakh each.

However, several key support staff -- who play crucial roles in the team's day-to-day operations -- were left off the award list. Team attendant Md Mohsin, who was also part of the squad during Bangladesh's famous win against India in the 2003 SAFF Championship semifinal, did not receive any bonus. Video analyst Nasif Islam, whose data and analysis guide the team's match plans, was also excluded, alongside the team's media manager and team doctor.

This stands in contrast to the bonuses distributed to the women's national team, who received rewards after winning the SAFF Championship and qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup. In that case, the team doctor, video analyst, and media manager were all included among the recipients.