New York, June 27— Bangladesh national football team captain Jamal Bhuyan received a warm welcome from members of the Bangladeshi community during a fan event held in New York’s Jackson Heights.
The gathering, titled “Jamal Bhuyan New York Kick Off,” took place at Sanai Restaurant and was organized by sports-focused social media and online platform Gamelify.xyz. The event attracted Bangladeshi expatriates of different age groups, many of whom met the national team captain, took photographs, and engaged with him in an interactive discussion.
Among those attending were Gamelify.xyz Chairman Mashiur Rahman, Brand Manager Murad Hossain, Assistant Brand Manager Hasan Tawfiq, President of the US Bangladesh Teachers Association Nazmul Islam Rony, and journalists representing several New York-based media organizations.
Speaking during the event, Bhuyan shared his views on the future of football in Bangladesh, emphasizing that long-term development must begin with strengthening domestic club football and grassroots competitions.
He said Bangladesh would benefit from building around ten professionally managed clubs equipped with modern infrastructure, including dedicated stadiums, academies and fitness facilities. He also stressed the importance of improving football structures at the divisional level to create a stronger competitive environment across the country.
Bhuyan further argued that football activities should extend beyond Dhaka, with greater investment in district and sub-district programmes to identify and develop young talent. According to him, sustainable progress requires a long-term strategy spanning at least two decades, supported by consistent investment in infrastructure and player development.
The Bangladesh captain also highlighted the need to create pathways for talented local players to compete in European club football while encouraging footballers of Bangladeshi origin currently playing abroad to represent the national team. He said such measures would help strengthen Bangladesh’s international competitiveness.
Gamelify.xyz Chairman Mashiur Rahman said the organization aims to promote football within Bangladeshi communities and inspire younger generations to become more involved in the sport.
He noted that the platform regularly organizes football quizzes, publishes football-related content and tournament information online, and runs youth football training programmes in Seattle. Rahman added that the organization hopes to expand similar community initiatives across different states in the United States with support from football stakeholders and the media.
