Brave Bangladesh girls have made Bangladesh proud again successfully defending SAAF Women’s Football Championship title second time. 

Silencing the cheering at full throat home crowd Team Tigress won the final 2-1 at Dasarath Stadium at Kathmandu. Earlier in the same ground against the same opposition Bangladesh winning the final 3-1 clinched the championship for the first time. 

Repeating the wonderful performance our girls achieved what even men’s football team has not achieved it ever. On their way to the championship this time the team a sweet combination of new players and experienced girls drew 1-1 with new look Pakistan, won playing brilliant food swept aside strong India 3-1, blew away Bhutan 7-1 in the semifinal. 

Some of the girls those Ritu Parna Chakma, Monica Chakma and Tohura, scored could make any footballer anywhere proud. Repone Chakma won the best goalkeeper award and Ritu Parna won the best goalkeeper award. SAAF football is tagged as World Cup of South Asian football. Like 2022 the victorious Bangladeshi girls were given heroes home coming ovation giving them ride on open roof bus from Dhaka Airport to BFF HQ. Chief advisor to caretaker government has been given them special reception and assured them of all kinds of assistance and sponsorship.

It may be mentioned here that playing football in a traditionally conservative Bangladesh society was not easy. Moreover, most of the girls came from downtrodden lower middle-class society of the remote villages of Tangail, Mymensingh, Chattogram Hill Tracts, Sathkhira and Dinajpur. While the players and athletes enjoy much higher facilities and benefits women footballers get nominal salaries and that too often not paid regularly. 

However, BFF organized year-round training facilities arranging their accommodation at BFF HQ. But Bangladesh could not yet organize league football regularly and there is hardly local competitions. Very rarely international matches are organized. In such situation, it is extremely challenging for Bangladesh girls competing with India, Nepal and others. Considering all the above handicaps the achievement of Bangladeshi girls is commendable. The girls consistently played wonderful brands of aggressive cricket. They oozed with confidence from the very outset. The quality of football they played evidences that if taken proper care and attention Bangladeshi girls can earn more laurels even at Asian Level. 

BFF and Ministry of sports must make short-, medium- and long-term plans. There must be a proper football league organized and a national league in the shape of NCL must be organized. Some women football center can be set up at Tangail, Rangamati, Sathkhira, Dinajpur and Mymensingh. Women wing of BFF must have talent hunting program. Above all girls must be paid well and paid regularly. BFF should make a mandatory provision that all teams appearing at NCL must have a women team. 

Bangladesh burst into joy every time the girls win laurels. Several lofty promises are made. But after a while these are lost in oblivion. This time the girls explained their situation to none less than Noble Laurite Prof Dr M Yunus, himself a great admirer of sports. Hope this time required sponsorship will be given to the brave girls for winning the laurels for Bangladesh. Sky is the limit of these girls. Private sector corporate houses should also come forward to assist them. 

BDST: 1400 HRS, NOV 03, 2024
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