Bangladesh hockey: Sleeping through the alarm?

“Bangladesh don’t have any plans, while other countries are improving fast with proper ones,” said former national player-turned-coach Mahabub Harun, summing up the precarious state of the country’s hockey at present.

Bangladesh hockey has lived two contrasting realities within four months. In December, the youth team turned heads on debut at the FIH Junior (U-21) World Cup in India. This month in Bangkok, the senior side clung on for survival in the Men’s Asian Games Qualifiers -- a far cry from asserting dominance among Asia’s second tier.

Beyond the continent’s elite -- India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea -- Bangladesh have long competed with China for the sixth spot, staying ahead of teams like Oman, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. That position now looks increasingly fragile.

A fifth-place finish among nine teams in Thailand, just enough to secure an Asian Games berth, underlined a worrying slide. Bangladesh, once regular finalists in this competition -- champions in 2014 and runners-up in 2018 and 2022 -- failed to reach the semifinals this time after a costly draw against Uzbekistan. The narrow shootout escape against Hong Kong only masked deeper issues.

Isolated dip or part of a longer decline?

Last year, Bangladesh failed to qualify for the Men’s Asia Cup, finishing behind Oman and Chinese Taipei in the AHF Cup in India, and only made it due to Pakistan’s withdrawal. The warning signs have been there.

Preparation remains a glaring weakness. While rivals arrived battle-ready after overseas camps and warm-up matches, Bangladesh went in undercooked. Coaches and players have pointed to the lack of competitive exposure, and it showed.

But the problems run deeper. Poor selection, the absence of a clear plan, a dormant domestic structure, and a prolonged standoff between the federation and clubs have eroded the foundation.

“Our squad [in the Asian Games Qualifiers] was also not a perfect one. How would a midfielder perform if he played in the backline?

“The selection committee don’t know the players, and it is the coaches’ responsibility to demand the right ones,” Harun told The Daily Star, recalling how he brought a player back two years after retirement and went on to win an international tournament in 2012.

Two years since the last Premier Division Hockey League, the Bangladesh Hockey Federation has yet to revive its top-tier competition. Players are left without regular income or match practice, as the federation remains locked in a financial deadlock with clubs unwilling to play without support.

Meanwhile, others are moving forward. Sri Lanka launched a franchise league in 2025 alongside its domestic competition. Oman runs multiple tournaments across levels. Nations like Indonesia, Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan are investing steadily in development. Bangladesh, in contrast, remain stuck in a cycle of excuses.

Harun suggests alternatives: “If the federation cannot run the league regularly, they must explore other formats. Cash-rich tournaments involving services teams and corporate houses could keep hockey active year-round.”

Qualification for the Asian Games offers only temporary relief. The gap is closing, and fast. Without urgent structural reforms and a consistent competitive environment, the escape in Bangkok may mark the beginning of Bangladesh’s slide out of Asia’s competitive bracket.