Sports Desk: Eight female footballers have gone to play in the franchise league in Satkhira without informing the Bangladesh Football Federation (BAFUF). The female footballers of the country broke the discipline while playing without informing anyone. Baffa is angry at the ‘arrogant’ behavior of footballers in the media along with their breaking of discipline. President Mohammad Kazi Salauddin will demand accountability from the footballers when they return to the camp after the holiday.
Mahfuza Akhter Kiran, chairman of the BAF Women’s Wing, said that footballers should be punished for going to play without informing. The members of the Bangladesh women’s football team went home for a holiday after playing two friendly matches against Nepal. They are expected to return to the camp at Bauffe Bhavan by July 31, ahead of the Asian Games. However, before leaving, they gave an ultimatum with six demands. Uncertainty has been created with the preparation of the Asian Games for the ‘ultimatum’ of women footballers. In the meantime, eight footballers under the leadership of captain Sabina Khatun have increased the complexity by playing in Satkhira. However, Bangladesh team captain Sabina Khatun sees the matter as normal.
He is reluctant to conflate the two issues. According to him, Satkhira’s tournament has nothing to do with the camp’s claim. On the contrary, he was angry with the media and said, ‘The girls are on vacation. It is not wrong to play matches while on vacation. You have presented it to Bafuf as an injustice. It is because of you that the matter is getting complicated. Because there will be a tournament here, everyone knew that some of the campers would play.’ Sabina saw the matter as normal, but Maria Manda, Shamsunnahar, Shamsunnahar Jr., Matsushima Sumaiya, Masura Parveen, Marzia, and Tahura Khatun got into trouble while playing in Satkhira.
The governing body of the country’s football team is disappointed with the behavior of those whose hands have made history in women’s football. The footballers met BAFF president Kazi Salahuddin with a demand for a salary increase after the clear victory last September. Buffe, president, also assured to fulfill the demands. However, even after 10 months, the demand was not fulfilled. That’s why, before going on vacation, they once again gave their demands to Bafuf in written form. The demands of the footballers include a six-point demand, including a salary hike, equal facilities for male footballers, nutritious food, and improved equipment.
Along with the old demands, there is a new demand to play more international matches. Before going on vacation, female footballers have said that they will not return to the camp until their demands are met! Currently, female footballers receive monthly salaries in three categories. As a senior footballer, Sabina Khatun earns a monthly salary of Rs 20,000. The salary of the rest of the footballers on the national team is 10 thousand taka. Age-based footballers are paid even less. It is difficult to live on 10,000 taka in the current situation; a football player who went to play in Satkhira said, ‘We are given only 10,000 taka. With this money, we have to support ourselves and send it to our families. Various necessary things are needed.
What happens to this money? That’s why we came here to play for some money during the holidays. I didn’t do anything wrong. If the girls of BKSP can take a leave from the camp and go to play, why can’t we?’ However, BAFF president Kazi Salauddin refused to comment on the girls’ demands. Scottish woman Abtaha Maqsood became famous as Britain’s first hijabi cricketer, playing in international matches. He has shown the world that the hijab is not an obstacle to progress.
