| Bangabandhu Cup | |
| Year: | 1996–97 |
| Country: | Bangladesh |
| Dates: | December 1996 – 10 January 1997 |
| Num Teams: | 12 |
| Winners: |  Malaysia Red |
| Count: | 1 |
| Scoring Leader: |  Izaak Fatari Musa Kallon |
| Next Season: | 1999 |
1996–97 Bangabandhu Cup was the 1st season of the Bangabandhu Cup. The 1st edition run from December 1996 to 10 January 1997. A Malaysia Red went on to win the cup after defeating the PSM Ujungpandang 2–1 in the finals.[1]
| Country | Previous best performance | |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia Red | ||
| Malaysia Blue | ||
In group stage twelve teams divided into four groups of three teams, playing a single match round-robin. The teams finishing first in each group qualified for the Semi-finals.