DHAKA, July 4, 2026 (BSS) - The Bangladesh men's hockey team began its training camp today (Saturday) at the Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium under the supervision of head coach Mosiur Rahman Biplob in preparation for the upcoming Asian Games.

Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) General Secretary Lt Col Riazul Hasan (Retd) told BSS that the Bangladesh women's hockey team will start its training camp tomorrow at BKSP in Savar under the guidance of coach Zahid Hossain Raju.

He said both camps will continue until the Asian Games.

The federation has initially selected 32 players for the men's camp and 28 players for the women's camp.

Expressing optimism about the men's team's prospects, Riazul Hasan said Bangladesh expects an improved performance at the Asian Games.

"The men's hockey team has participated in the Asian Games before. Since it is a major multi-sport event, the competition features strong teams such as Japan, Malaysia, India and Pakistan. Bangladesh has traditionally finished between seventh and eighth place, but this time we hope the team will improve its position and achieve a better result," he said.

Commenting on the women's team, the BHF general secretary said the upcoming tournament would provide valuable experience as Bangladesh are set to make their debut in the Asian Games.

"As they are going to participate in the Asian Games for the first time, the tournament will serve as an important learning experience for them," he added.

Earlier, the Bangladesh men's hockey team qualified for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, after finishing fifth in the Men's Asian Games Qualifiers held in April in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Bangladesh women's hockey team also created history by qualifying for the 2026 Asian Games after defeating Hong Kong 2-1 in the Women's Asian Games Qualifiers in Jakarta, Indonesia. It will be the team's first-ever appearance in the continental multi-sport event.