Robi Axiata PLC officially announced Hamza Chowdhury as their new brand ambassador for one year at a press conference today. Hamza Chowdhury is a player for the Bangladesh national football team and English club Leicester City. He is also the first Bangladeshi footballer to play in the English Premier League.
The press event was held this morning at Robi’s corporate office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, with Managing Director and CEO Ziad Satar, Chief Commercial Officer Shihab Ahmad, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Shahed Alam, and the new ambassador Hamza Chowdhury in attendance.
Speaking at the event, Ziad Satar said, “We are extremely delighted to have Hamza Chowdhury as our brand ambassador. Playing for Bangladesh, Hamza has returned to his roots and expressed a deep sense of patriotism. That is exactly the spirit behind Robi’s ‘Believe You Can’ campaign.”
The stage was adorned with a digital display of Hamza featuring the tagline ‘Super Footballer, Robi Supernet.’ Hamza arrived at the stage at 10:15 AM.
Expressing his gratitude, Hamza said, “I am thrilled to work with Robi. I hope to inspire the youth of Bangladesh and help elevate the perception of football in our country.”
He also answered questions from the press and expressed optimism ahead of Bangladesh’s Asian Cup match against India on 18 November: “Insha Allah we will win against India.”
Hamza made his debut for Bangladesh in March, sparking massive interest in the country. Stadiums have been filling up to watch him play, and all tickets for the India match sold out within six minutes.
Despite earning a salary in England that is unimaginable by Bangladeshi standards, Hamza emphasizes that his love for Bangladesh comes before money or corporate contracts. “I have been playing for Bangladesh for a few months now. Honestly, it still feels unreal. I just want to be part of this country, feel proud, and represent it in every way possible, especially for my parents,” he said.
His affection for Bangladesh was evident as he added, “My father was born and raised in this country, so seeing that smile on their faces is my real reward. Every child wants to make their parents proud, and I feel fortunate that I can make the entire nation proud.”
This is Hamza’s fourth visit to Bangladesh, and he shared how much love he receives from fans: “I cherish all the love I get, and I try to share it with everyone. Whenever I leave Bangladesh, my children say they want to come back. Insha Allah, they will return in March.”
Hamza arrived in Dhaka yesterday and is set to play a friendly match against Nepal on 13 November ahead of the Asian Cup qualifier against India on 18 November.
