A 14-member Bangladeshi archery contingent, comprising 11 archers and three officials, departed for Singapore on Saturday to participate in the 2025 Asian Cup Stage-II tournament, scheduled from Sunday June 15th to 20th. This outing aims to provide valuable international exposure and world ranking points for the team, whose participation is supported by long-term sponsor City Group.
The team will compete in both recurve and compound events. The recurve squad includes Abdur Rahman Alif, Ram Krishna Saha, Rakib Mia, Sagor Islam, and Monir Akter. In the compound division, Himu Bacchar, Newaz Ahmed Rakib, Sohel Rana, Bonna Akter, Pushpita Jamal, and Kulsum Akter Moni will represent Bangladesh.
Bangladesh's chances in the tournament appear promising, particularly as some of the top archery nations like India, China, Chinese Taipei, and Japan are reportedly sending development squads, with no delegation from Korea.
This provides a stronger opportunity for Bangladesh to contend for medals, building on recent successes such as a gold medal in the recurve mixed team event at the 2023 Asia Cup World Ranking Tournament Stage 1. The presence of young talent like Sagor Islam, who recently secured a direct qualification for the Paris Olympics 2024, further boosts their prospects. This tournament is also a crucial part of the Bangladesh Archery Federation's "Vision 2028" for the Los Angeles Olympics, highlighting a strategic approach to fostering talent and achieving long-term goals.
While the competition remains tough, the team's familiarity with Singapore as a recurring venue and the ongoing investment in their development suggest a determined effort to achieve strong results and continue their upward trajectory in Asian archery.
