The East Bengal Football Club of India has accorded reception to Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Limited chairman and also Managing Director of Bashundhara Group Sayem Sobhan Anvir for his outstanding contribution to the development of sports in Bangladesh and India.

The football club also conferred life-term membership to him in a grand gala ceremony held in Kolkata on Thursday.

Sabrina Sobhan, Director of Bashundhara Group and wife of Bashundhara Group MD Anvir, was also present on the occasion.

Marking the occasion, East Bengal Football Club presented the couple with jersey, uttarīya, gold coin, fruits, sweets, Panjabi and Sari.

Addressing the programme, Sayem Sobhan Anvir hailed the East Bengal Football Club authorities for showing unprecedented recognition, love and magnanimity.

He called for fostering a rare unity among the people of Bangladesh and West Bengal based on language and sports.
Anvir also invited the East Bengal Football Club to play a tournament with Sheikh Russel.

“We belong to a common language, Bengali.  Let us be united through sports. I would like to have a tournament between Sheikh Russel and East Bengal Football. Bashundhara will sponsor the tournament,” he said.

Nitu Sarkar, official of East Bengal Football Club, praised Sayem Sobhan Anvir for his rich eloquence and word diction.

He said East Bengal Football Club will sure to arrange play with Sheikh Russel, giving an intimation of upcoming collaboration between two leading sports clubs.

East Bengal club secretary Kalyan Majumdar, vice president Shanti Ranjan Dasgupta and All India Football Federation senior vice president Subrata Dutta, among others, were present.