Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (November 09, 2022) put emphasis on attaining mental strength and self-confidence while training for excellence in sports. “Mental strength and confidence along with training are of utmost importance. The more you train, the more you will attain excellence,” she said. The Prime Minister said this while addressing a reception programme for Bangladesh women’s national football team who won the SAFF women’s championship 2022 in September. At the event, prize money and financial honorarium were handed to women footballers for bringing the trophy to Bangladesh. The programme was held at the Shapla Hall of Prime Minister Office (PMO). Read: Outstanding SAFF performance: PM gives away cheques to Bangladesh women’s football team Bangladesh women’s team lifted the SAFF championship 2022 by beating four-times finalist and hosts Nepal 3-1 in Kathmandu on September 19 last. The Prime Minister said that athletes of the country must always remember that as a nation Bangalees have attained a hard-earned victory in the Liberation War. “We are a victorious nation; we have attained independence through the Liberation War. You must remember this. We won in the war and we will win in sports too. You must have this attitude. Only then success will come,” she said. Talking about development in sports over the last 14 years, she said, “We are trying to develop the sports sector from the grassroots level. There is a stadium in every district and that stadium will be used for every sport,” she said. Read: Focusing on sports, cultural activities to create worthy citizens: PM Talking about mini stadium in every upazila, she said that these stadiums will be used for all kinds of sports, and schools can use the venues for holding their annual sports events. Sheikh Hasina said that her government has constructed 125 Sheikh Russel mini stadiums in as many upzilas and work to construct 186 more such mini stadium has started in the second phase. In the third phase, 173 Sheikh Russel mini stadiums will be constructed. She also said that the government will construct indoor stadiums in every district while there will be BKSP in every division for development of the sports sector in the country. The prime minister said that besides studies, sports, cultural activities and literature are crucial to ensure physical and mental wellbeing of children. Read: No megaprojects now but no compromise on welfare-oriented ones: PM She mentioned that during the 1996-2001 tenure, the Awami League government sent players in several countries including Brazil, Portugal and Spain for advanced training. The PM also said that the government is providing patronage to different-abled athletes as part of the “sports for all” policy. The Prime Minister observed that children living in Dhaka city are growing up like “farmed chicken”, cooped up in apartments, with little to no physical activity. She asked parents to pay special attention to their children in this regard and take them to the playgrounds regularly. Read: PM: Encourage children to take to sports to become good citizens “Schools must have arrangements for regular sports activities,” she said. She asked the affluent in the society to come forward and contribute to the development of local sports. “They can at least appoint athletes in their organisations so that their livelihoods are ensured,” she said. State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Zahid Ahsan Russel, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Kazi Md. Salah Uddin, Sabina Khatun and Youth and Sports secretary Mesbah Uddin also spoke at the programme. A documentary was screened at the reception programme for the SAFF championship winner Bangladesh women’s national football team. Read More: 5 SAFF champion girls receive grand reception in Khagrachari

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday (November 09, 2022) handed over cheques among players, coaches, and officials of the Bangladesh national women's Football team for winning the SAFF Women’s Championship 2022 in September. She handed over the cheques at a programme held at the Shapla Hall of Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The event was held to accord reception and give away money and financial honorarium to members of the Bangladesh national women's Football team for their outstanding performance in SAFF championship. Each player got a cheque of Tk 5 lakh while each coach and other officials got Tk 2 lakh each. Read: Army announces Tk 1 crore reward for SAFF women champions Bangladesh women’s team lifted the SAFF title 2022 by beating four-times finalist and hosts Nepal 3-1 in Kathmandu on September 19 last.

The authority of Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport said the luggage of 2022 SAFF champion footballers were received by the Bangladesh Football Federation representative in a “locked and intact” condition. The authority also said they did not find any irregularity in handling the luggage at the airport, after going over CCTV footage. Earlier, at least two members of the Bangladesh women’s football team claimed their luggage were broken into at the airport and money was stolen. Read: Sabina wants to keep winning trophies playing entertaining football The footballers said they lost around Tk 2.5 lac which was in their luggage. “After receiving the complaint, we checked the CCTV footage and found that the complaint (of luggage being broken into) is not true,” a press release from HSIA authority reads. The press release was signed by the executive director of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Kamrul Islam. Read: Footballer Ritu Porna suffers head injury during victory ride on open-deck bus SAFF Women's Championship 2022 winner Bangladesh  team landed in Dhaka on Wednesday around 1:45 pm. They were taken to the headquarters of Bangladesh Football Federation from there by an open-deck bus. It was the first time that a Bangladesh women’s football team won the SAFF Championship.

When the flight from Kathmandu landed in Dhaka, Bangladesh football team captain Sabina Khatun, who was on board, had no idea what was waiting for her and her team outside the airport.  Sabina knew her team had the capabilities to lift the title and win the crown of football excellence in South Asia. Still, she had no idea what the capital city had planned for her. When they completed immigration process and came out to the media corner, Sabina came to know there were hundreds of media personnel waiting with cameras to snap their photos, and there were thousands of fans waiting with flowers to greet them for their victorious journey that ended with the ultimate prize. Read: “Our SAFF achievement is understandable if you look at our journey” Along with fans, band parties were also waiting for them with the cadence of patriotic songs. They were ready with flutes, drums and other musical instruments on the trucks decorated with photos of Sabina and her team.  A press conference was scheduled at the airport. But that failed to materialise due to the overcrowded presence of media personnel. The airport authority failed to manage the crowd. There were hundreds of police personnel to handle the situation, but they failed. There were hundreds of Ansar members too. They too failed to contain the passionate fans. Being unable to host the press conference there, the authority was forced to call it off. It took them around an hour to disperse the crowd and restore order. Read: SAFF Champion Tigresses return home

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the authorities concerned to build a house for Rupna Chakma, goalkeeper of Bangladesh women’s football team who clinched the title of SAFF Women’s Championship 2022, in her hometown Rangamati. Sheikh Hasina, who is in New York at the moment to attend the 77th UNGA, gave the directive after a picture of Rupna Chakma's dilapidated house went viral on social media and came to her notice. Read: Naniarchar ready to embrace its daughters Rupna, Ritu Porna after brilliance in SAFF Women's tournament

Bangladesh national women's football team, which emerged as winner in the seven-nation SAFF Women’s Football Championship with all-win record, was accorded a fitting reception as they returned home from Nepal this afternoon. Bangladesh clinched the first-ever SAFF Women's crown in their 2nd attempt after 2006, beating four times runners up and hosts Nepal by 3-1 in the final at Dashrath Stadium (Rangasala) in Kathmandu Monday evening. State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel received the team at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at about 1:50 pm. Read: “Our SAFF achievement is understandable if you look at our journey” The players and officials were welcomed at the airport with garlands and then they cut a cake. Thousands of football-crazy fans thronged Dhaka airport to welcome the women footballers for their glorious achievement. Bangladesh captain Sabina Khatun, midfielder Sanjida Akter spoke to the press in a short briefing at the airport.

Just ahead of SAFF Women’s Championship, Bangladeshi footballer Sanjida Akhter’s post – on her verified Facebook page – has gone viral. By 12:30pm today (September 19, 2022), the post has generated 16,000 reactions, 2,900 comments and 1,400 shares. Here’s what Sanjida Akhter posted Bangladesh is in the final of SAFF Women’s Championship for the second time. I played in the final for the first time in 2016. We lost against India. We came to the SAFF stage five times – were runner-up once, reached semi-finals three times, and left from group stage once. Alhamdulillah, we have a great rhythm on the field this time, our opponent in the final is host Nepal. Playing in the final as a host or against the host team is always exciting. This year’s final match is a bit different. After a long time, a new champion country will emerge. So, this time around, the final match is going to exciting for sure. Read: SAFF Women`s Championship Final Live Streaming 2022: When and where to watch Bangladesh Vs Nepal Final In 2003, Bangladesh became the best in South Asia with our men’s national football team. We still cherish that story. It is considered to be the brightest part of Bangladesh football’s history. This time, it’s our turn. Every member of our team is focused and geared up. We want to win it for all those fellow dreamers who are eager to embrace our dream, our aspiration. We want to repay that unflinching support. Even if we don’t raise the trophy on an open-roof champion bus, we want to win for the people who have helped us touch the green grass – ignoring society’s taunts. Our success may help us draw more Sabinas, Krishnas and Marias. I want to make the difficult path of young players’ a little easier. My house is near the hills. I have seen the indomitable spirit of our brothers and sisters in the hills, the struggles of the poor and hardworking people in Bangladeshi villages – who never give up. In the final, we won’t be on the field as individual footballers, there will be a squad of eleven fighters – many of whom have come this far after losing their father, with the last possession of their mother, selling off sister’s jewelry, many are the only source of income in their families. Read: SAFF Women's Champs: Hosts Nepal pose as final hurdle for rampant Sabina and Co We are used to life’s struggles. We will fight till the last minute for the “Best in South Asia” title.   Victory and defeat are in Allah’s hands. But believe us, we will not lack in our efforts, In-Sha-Allah. Please, pray for us.