Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) on Wednesday announced a 29-member partial preliminary squad for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia, with Sweden-based forward Anika Rania Siddiqui earning her maiden call-up to the national setup.
Anika, who was born and raised in Sweden, has expressed her desire to represent Bangladesh at international level.
Standing out as a rare European-based talent for the women’s national side, she becomes only the second expatriate player to be included in the squad after Japan-born Matsushima Sumaya.
With Sumaya currently not part of the team, Anika is the only expatriate footballer in the present preliminary squad.
The 20-year-old forward has been in Dhaka for the past week undergoing trials and impressed the selectors with her performances.
She had earlier been considered for a national team call-up in 2023 when she made her Swedish Cup debut at just 17, but the move did not materialise at that time.
Anika previously played for IF Brommapojkarna, a top-tier club in Sweden, and is known for her versatility on either wing, combining playmaking ability with an eye for goal.
The squad has begun a 12-day training camp under fitness trainer Cameron Lord and assistant coach Abul Hossain.
Head coach Peter Butler is currently in Nepal with the junior team for the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship.
Butler has selected 23 players from domestic league for the camp, excluding Mamoni Chakma, Joynob Bibi Rita and Munki Akter, who are presently with the U-19 squad.
Anika is among the nine additional players called up for the preliminary camp alongside Tannima Biswas, Ruma Akter, Umma Kulsum, Ferdous Akter Sonali, Airin Khatun, Surma Jannat, Nadia Akter Juti and Unnoti Khatun.
The training camp is scheduled to conclude before the Women’s Football League resumes on February 9, while the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship will wrap up on February 7.
Bangladesh are preparing for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup preliminaries with the aim of strengthening their squad depth, and Anika’s inclusion adds a new European-based dimension to the team’s attacking options.
