Shamit Shome moves one step closer to wearing Bangladesh jersey

Former member of Canada national football team, Shamit Shome, has taken a significant step toward realizing his dream of representing Bangladesh at the international level.

On Saturday morning, local time in Toronto, Shome officially submitted his passport application at the Consular Office of Bangladesh High Commission in the city.

Bangladeshi sports journalist and Canada-based expatriate Abu Sadat, who was present at the consular office, confirmed that the passport application process was handled swiftly and professionally. He stated that while the initial stage has been completed in Canada, the passport will now be printed in Bangladesh and subsequently dispatched to Toronto.

Shamit Shome publicly declared his intention to play for Bangladesh on April 11. Following this announcement, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) processed his birth registration and requested a release from the Canadian Football Association.

According to BFF sources, the no-objection certificate (NOC) from Canada has already been received.

The next crucial step in the process will be for Shamit to obtain his Bangladeshi passport, after which BFF will submit all required documentation to FIFA’s Player Status Committee. Upon receiving final clearance from FIFA, Shamit will be eligible to don the Bangladesh national team jersey without any remaining legal or procedural obstacles.

In past, BFF had faced a four-month delay in securing FIFA approval for British-Bangladeshi footballer Hamza Choudhury. Similarly, time is now the biggest challenge in Shamit's case, as he must be registered by June 3 to be eligible for Bangladesh’s June 10 AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore. According to AFC regulations, all player registrations must be finalized at least one week before the scheduled match.

Speaking on Saturday, the Toronto-based footballer revealed that it was Hamza Choudhury’s decision to represent Bangladesh that inspired him to take the same path. “I’ve seen how Bangladesh’s football has improved in recent times. If Hamza, who is such a great player, can go and represent Bangladesh, why can’t I? I also personally know some of the players in the national team, like Tariq Kazi, Jamal Bhuiyan, Kazem Shah, and Syed. That connection further motivated me. I’ve always waited for the right time to make this move,” he said.

With high hopes of featuring in the upcoming Asian Cup qualifier in June, Shamit expressed his eagerness to complete all formalities and take the field in Bangladesh colours. “I’m hopeful that everything will fall into place and I’ll be able to play,” he said.