Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 6, 2020: Three star players of the Bangladesh women's national football team - Sabina Khatun, Maria Manda and Akhi Khatun - have produced video messages on social media to urge people to take measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, reports The Daily Star.
In her message, Sabina, the long-serving captain and prolific striker of the national team, said: "Please join us on our mission to break the chain. Coronavirus is spreading around the world and we must stop this together.
“The steps are simple: wash your hands, maintain social distance and, if necessary, stay at home. Let's do this to keep our family and friends safe and healthy."
Maria, captain of the under-16 team and a key midfielder of the senior team, and Akhi, another important player of both teams, made the same appeal through different video messages.
In other news from Bangladesh:
*The State Minister for Youth and Sports, Zahid Ahsan Russel, has issued a directive to keep the country's sporting activities suspended until the situation improves in view of the evolving coronavirus pandemic.
This directive indefinitely extends the suspension which was initially issued on March 16 with the deadline of March 31, reports The Daily Star.
Following the initial directive, the major national leagues in football and cricket were suspended.
The latest directive also requested everyone to abide by the preventive measures that are being followed in Bangladesh as well as rest of the world as the outbreak continues unabated.