“Shakib is a Mega Star”: Hamza shuns comparison

Hamza Dewan Chowdhury denies the comparison with the country’s all time biggest sports celebrity Shakib Al Hasan as he came to join the national team for the AFC Asian Cup 2025 qualifiers on Monday morning.

Responding to a question from reporters in his hometown of Sylhet, Hamza said about comparisons with Shakib, “Shakib Al Hasan is a mega star. He has been the best in the world for many years. I don’t want to be compared with him.”

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying Hamza and his family landed at Sylhet Osmani International Airport shortly earlier this morning.

His arrival drew a large crowd of enthusiastic fans who gathered with banners, festoons, and musical instruments, chanting his name in celebration.

After arriving in Sylhet, former Leicester City midfielder travelled to his ancestral home in Snanghat village of Bahubal upazila in Habiganj, where a celebratory atmosphere prevailed in anticipation of his visit.

Hamza, who was granted Bangladeshi citizenship by the government, will spend a day at his village home before heading to Dhaka on Tuesday to join the national team camp.
He is scheduled to attend an official press conference at the team hotel on Wednesday, where he will speak alongside the team’s coach and captain.

The Bangladesh national football team will leave for Kolkata on Thursday enroute to Shillong for their AFC Asian Cup qualifier match against India on 25 March. He is set to make his debut for Bangladesh in that match.

He was asked about the preparation for the match where he replied in the Sylheti dialect, saying: “In sha Allah, we will win!”

In another exciting reveal, Hamza announced that he would wear the No.8 jersey for Bangladesh.

Hamza was born on October 1, 1997, in Leicester, England and grew up in Leicester’s academy.

Before playing for Bangladesh, he played for England’s age-based team. He even played for the U-21 Euro team.

However, despite being a Leicester academy graduate, Hamza made his professional football debut for Burton Albion. He played for this club in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. He played 28 matches in two seasons.

Hamza’s chapter began for Leicester in 2017. He played in all domestic competitions like Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup with the foxes.

There is only one regret so far that he has not been seen in any European competition so. He has four assists and two goals in his Leicester jersey.

He has only played outside this club for Watford in the 2022-23 season and now playing for Sheffield United.