Draft:Bangladeshi Football Ultras

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Bangladeshi Football Ultras (BFU) (Bengali: বাংলাদেশী ফুটবল আল্ট্রাস) is a Supporters' group supporting the national men's, women's, and youth teams. This is the largest national team supporters' group in Football in Bangladesh, with more than 10,000 registered members. Typically, the Bangladesh Ultras wear black attire during their events. ^[1][2]

The inception of Bangladesh Football Ultras (commonly referred to as "BFU") began with a dream — a dream born out of watching electrifying European fan cultures and wondering: “Can we support our national team with the same fire?” On May 27, 2019, a few passionate young fans, mostly students, united under this vision to spark life into Bangladesh’s dying football culture.^[3] Their official debut came during the post-COVID-19 home matches against Nepal at the National Stadium, Dhaka — on November 13 and 17, 2020. Despite limited resources, “170 brave hearts” stood with drums, banners, and chants to support the national team. As one of them recalled, "We had no money for new drums, so we searched for second-hand ones and made flags and banners from our own pockets."^[4]

What started as a passionate protest against football apathy quickly evolved into a movement. Bangladesh Ultras became a permanent presence at all national team matches — men’s, women’s, and age-group sides alike.^[5] They adopted global "Ultras culture" values: unrelenting support, coordinated chants, smoke and pyro, and visible presence — often marked by "black outfits" symbolizing identity, unity, and resistance. Their motto: "We’re not just spectators. We are the twelfth man on the pitch."^[6]

As Bangladesh Ultras grew in numbers and influence, they began challenging structural issues in Bangladeshi football. They joined protests like Salauddin Hatao calling for the resignation of BFF President Kazi Salahuddin.^[7][8]

The year 2023 marked a turning point. Bangladesh Ultras began official member registration, and within the first week, over 3,000 people signed up. By 2025, the group had over 10,000 members, with 70% being students. Their operations continue without sponsors or institutional funding — purely run on member contributions and collective effort.Bangladesh Football Ultras continue protest at BFF over ticket allocation^[9] They claim the National Stadium, Dhaka as their spiritual home, although it's been closed since September 2021 for renovations. In its absence, they’ve maintained a dominant presence in other venues like Bashundhara Kings Arena , creating what national coach Javier Cabrera called an "amazing atmosphere."^[10] Bangladesh Football Ultras remained active during the World Cup qualifying match between Bangladesh and Palestine, which was held during Ramadan.^[11] Despite fasting, members maintained support throughout the match.^[12]They also supported the national women's team during the 2024 SAFF Women's Championship Final against Nepal, which Bangladesh won.^[13]

July Revolution activity
They demonstrated a significant involvement and became part of broader student-led political activism like the July Revolution (Bangladesh).^[14]

Asian Cup Qualifier Atmosphere
June 10, 2025: Despite ticketing chaos, the match vs Singapore drew massive fan turnout. The Ultras, still vocal from their protest, led chants and pumped up the atmosphere-citing the presence of stars like expatriates Hamza Choudhury , Shamit Shome , and Fahamedul Islam ^[15]

Protest for Diaspora Young Talent
March 18-20, 2025: The group supported the #StandWithFahamedul movement after Italy-based teenager Fahamedul Islam was dropped from the Asian Cup 2027 qualifying squad. They held demonstrations, pressured coach Javier Cabrera, and branded the exclusion as evidence of corruption or favoritism within BFF. ^[16] A sit-in and public protest at Shahbagh and outside the BFF office demanded transparency and squad reforms, spotlighting grassroots activism from the Ultras.^[17]

Bangladeshi Football Ultras are not merely fans; they are cultural reformers. They reignited passion in a football nation that had gone dormant. Their fierce energy, use of slogans and chants to unnerve opponents, and creation of a distinct identity (especially through black attire) reflect a broader mission: "To make football a matter of national pride again." From scraping together money for flags and drums to becoming "the heartbeat of the stadium" , Bangladesh Ultras have changed how Bangladesh experiences football. ^[1]

In early June 2025, a significant controversy erupted between the Bangladesh Football Ultras and the Bangladesh Football Federation over the allocation of tickets for an upcoming AFC Asian Cup Qualifier match against Singapore , scheduled for June 10.^[18] The BFU staged a sit-in protest for two consecutive days in front of the BFF headquarters, demanding tickets for the match. They accused the BFF of reneging on a promise to provide them with tickets. According to Mehdi Hasan Ovi, general secretary of the BFU, they had been in communication with BFF officials for 52 days, discussing their desire to sit together in a block and obtain tickets in an organized manner.^[18][19] Initially, the BFU requested 3,000 seats in one stand, citing the unique nature of their organized support. This demand was later reduced to 2,000 due to complications with the ticketing platform, Tickyfy. However, the Ultras claim they were only offered a mere 100 tickets, a number they deemed wholly insufficient.^[20] The Ultras expressed frustration at not being instructed to buy tickets online, and even when they attempted to do so, they were unable to secure a block of seats together. They also raised doubts about the BFF's official claim that gallery tickets were sold out, with Ovi stating he personally tried to buy 35 tickets with 16 different phones but failed to secure any.^[1] The BFU's protest, marked by black attire, bandanas, drums, and whistles, featured banners reading "No Ultras, No Football" and "Justice for Football, Justice for Football Fans," underscoring their determination to continue their protest until their demands were met. This incident highlights ongoing tensions between dedicated fan groups and the football administration in Bangladesh, often fueled by issues of transparency, fan engagement, and access to matches.^[21]

• National Stadium, Dhaka
• Bangladesh national football team
• Bangladesh women's national football team
• Bangladesh national under-23 football team
• Bangladesh national under-20 football team
• Bangladesh women's national under-20 football team
• Bangladesh national under-17 football team
• Bangladesh women's national under-17 football team

• Official website
• Media related to Bangladeshi Football Ultras at Wikimedia Commons