A 45-member Bangladesh Men's and Women's Junior Hockey teams due to leave Dhaka for Singapore tonight (Wednesday night) to compete in the Junior AHF Cup (U-21) Hockey Tournament beginning there on Friday (June 14), reports UNB.

Defending champions Bangladesh Men's Hockey team alongside newly included Bangladesh Women's Hockey team will leave the capital together for Singapore on Wednesday at 10:30 pm by a US Bangla flight.

The tournament will also be treated as the qualifying meet for the Junior Asia Cup 2024.

Bangladesh Men's team was placed in Pool A along with Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and hosts Singapore while Pool B teams consists of Oman, Chinese Taipei, China, Hong Kong (China), Iran and Kazakhstan.

Top two teams from each of the two groups will qualify for the semifinals.

After a recess on first two days, Holders Bangladesh will start their campaign taking on hosts Singapore on Sunday (June 16).

In remaining pool matches, Bangladesh will play Sri Lanka on June 17, Thailand on June 19 and Indonesia on June 20. In the Women's section, seven teams --Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong (China), Thailand, Indonesia, Bsngladesh, Sri Lanka and hosts Singapore--will play each other on league basis matches.

Top team will be the women's champions. Bangladesh Women's team will play Thailand on June 15, Hong Kong (China) on June 16, Sri Lanka on June 18, Chinese Taipei on June 19, Indonesia on June 22 and Singapore on June 23.

The Men's Junior AHF Cup will welcome entries from all AHF Member National Associations, with the exception of five countries-India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Pakistan. These countries have earned automatic qualification for participation in the Men's Junior Asia Cup 2024, based on their final ranking in the Men Junior Asia Cup 2023.

Entries for the Women's Junior AHF Cup are invited from all AHF Member National Associations, except the five countries --China, India, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia. Similar to the men's tournament, these five countries have secured automatic qualification for participation in the Women's Junior Asia Cup 2024, based on their final ranking in the Men Junior Asia Cup 2023.