Dhaka, July 6: The Bangladesh Football Federation observed Grassroots Football Day on Thursday with over 100 children taking part at a festival.

The grassroots day for football is a pan-Asian event funded by the Asian Football Confederation, the top Asian football body, in a bid to encourage football at the grassroots.

The Asian football organisation helps and funds each member country to host such event in order to carry football forward and strengthen the base of the game across the continent.

The AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa noted that each journey in football begins at the grassroots. “Grassroots Football Day brings to life our ambition, under the banner of One Asia, One Goal, to ensure that football continues to flourish and expand its reach to all segments of our continent.”

A member of a Bahraini royal family, Salman said he said he was delighted to see the AFC members embracing the core values of leadership, professionalism and unity by empowering and bringing joy to people and communities of all backgrounds through football. “Ultimately, the strong foundation we build today will lead to a more dynamic and competitive landscape for our great game to thrive in Asia.”

BFF president Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin reassured his audience that this festival would surely continue in future. He said it would in fact expand. “We will see it spread through all the age levels of Bangladesh.”

The grassroots day was observed with 110 school children around Dhaka from U14 and U16 levels taking part in a festival.

The day’s programme was essentially designed to encourage these children to take up football.