Anisur Rahman

A visit to the 16th-century Basilica of Bom Jesus was among the highlights of the trip.

Former national forward-turned-coach Alfaz Ahmed believes Brazil’s opening match serves as the spark for that nationwide excitement, even though this Selecao side is less familiar to supporters than the squads of recent editions.

Amid worries over fitness of several key players and a series of shocking results involving some of the tournament's heavyweights in the opening days of the FIFA World Cup, Bangladesh's veteran defender Topu Barman is still expecting a winning start for defending champions Argentina when they take on a formidable Algeria side on Wednesday morning.

Everything became a reason to celebrate — a stray dog crossing the screen, broadcast buffering, even coach Lionel Scaloni shouting instructions.

The FIFA World Cup fever has swept across Bangladesh, and Bangladesh women's football defender Afeida Khandokar is no exception.

Players from both sides were allowed to watch selected World Cup matches on mobile phones, with the global tournament serving as inspiration. Yet, that influence rarely translated onto the pitch, with technical shortcomings and tactical limitations evident throughout.

Region of confidence measurement for the purpose of localization in wireless sensor networks

Being an avid Brazil fan, Bangladesh national team goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico has been enjoying every match of the Selecao, along with the other key FIFA World Cup fixtures. Zico recently spoke to The Daily Star's Anisur Rahman about Brazil's progress at the World Cup, the evolving role of goalkeepers, and his own professional future. Below are excerpts:

Growing up in the mid-1980s, football in Bangladesh was never merely a sport. It was emotion, identity, and everyday life stitched into dusty neighbourhood fields and crowded tea stalls.

This is the hidden grace of the World Cup. It is often a child's very first introduction to the concept of a setback, wrapped in the safe environment of sport.