Despite being home to nearly 170 million people, the Asian country has struggled to make an impact on the international sporting stage.

Any podium finish is therefore celebrated wildly, with their double success in Gold Coast the first time they had achieved two medals at a single Games since Auckland 1990.

Bangladesh has won two golds, four silvers and two bronzes in its Commonwealth Games history and all have come in shooting.

In Gold Coast, Abdullah Hel Baki finished second in the men's 10 metre air rifle and Shakil Ahmed matched him in the men's 50m air pistol.

The decision to axe the sport from Birmingham 2022 was therefore felt keenly, just as it was in the country's neighbour India.

"Shooting is our best sport and is unfortunately not here this time," said Bangladesh's Birmingham Chef de Mission Abdur Rokib.

"So for our athletes we just hope for their best performance."

Bangladesh's two Commonwealth gold medals came in the 50m pistol pairs in Auckland and Asif Hossain Khan's air rifle success at Manchester 2002.

Rokib, the general secretary of the Bangladesh Athletics Federation, has travelled to Birmingham 2022 directly from the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.

He will be overseeing around 30 athletes in athletics, boxing, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.

In the absence of shooting, weightlifter Mabia Akhter, a South Asian Games champion, will be among those to watch.

Gymnast Ali Kader Haque has travelled from New Zealand, meanwhile, where he is based.

Bangladesh first attended the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton in 1978 but the country missed the next two editions.

They have been ever-present since Auckland 1990.

In January, the Queen's Baton Relay visited the country where, perhaps in a nod to the disappointment about the axing of the sport, both Gold Coast shooting medallists carried it.

The Relay also visited the National Martyrs Monument, a girls' college and a national sports institute.

It was greeted by a colourful scene of dancers and musicians. 

Then, under a clear blue sky, dozens of students lined up in a grid formation to demonstrate their judo skills.