Various sporting events around the world were postponed or canceled for the majority of 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, many sports events were organized in accordance with health guidelines in 2021. The Tokyo Summer Olympic Games was the most significant of these. Bangladesh's performance at the Olympics was disappointing as usual. Bangladeshi athletes failed to win any medals in the Tokyo Olympics. Women performed better individually and in groups than males this year. The most noteworthy moments of Bangladesh sports in 2021 are discussed in this article. 2021 Year in Review: A Glimpse at the Notable Moments in Bangladesh Sports Cricket and football are the most popular sports in Bangladesh. Bangladesh's men's teams had a disappointing year in these two sports. However, the Bangladesh women's cricket team and the Bangladesh Under-19 football team enjoyed significant success at the end of the year. Aside from that, Bangladeshi athletes have had great success in individual events. Let's take a look at some of Bangladesh's major sporting incidents in 2021. Kabaddi The Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation hosted the Bangabandhu Kabaddi Cup in the first quarter of the year. Sri Lanka, Nepal, Kenya, Poland, and Bangladesh, the host country, competed in the tournament. The men's Kabaddi team from Bangladesh won all of their games in the group stage. Bangladesh won the tournament by defeating Kenya 34-28 in the final. It was one of Bangladesh's most notable sporting successes in 2021. Read Bangladesh Cricket in 2021: Performance Analysis by Series Cricket Bangladesh cricket saw various ups and downs in 2021. The men's cricket team of Bangladesh had a disastrous T20 World Cup 2021 campaign. They also lost a handful of Test series at home. Two of Bangladesh's men's cricket team's notable successes were winning the T20I series against Australia and New Zealand at home. In contrast to the men's team, the Bangladesh Women's National Team had a successful year. Bangladesh women's team qualified for the ICC One-Day International World Cup in 2022 after winning a bilateral series in Zimbabwe. The BCB was under fire from the media and supporters in the second half of the year. Football The Bangladesh national men's football team competed in FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the year 2021, a four-nation event, and the SAFF Championship. Bangladesh placed fifth in World Cup qualifying group F and third in the four-nation tournament. Despite a strong start to the campaign, Bangladesh finished fourth in the group stage of the SAFF Championship. Therefore, Bangladesh men's football team had a bad year in 2021. Read Bangladesh’s U-19 SAFF Women’s Championship victory to serve as a harbinger of success in football On the other hand, the Bangladesh U19 Women's team performed well throughout their campaign in the 2021 SAFF U19 Championship. They became the undefeated winners after defeating India 1-0 in the final. It was their second title in a row. The sports year 2021 in Bangladesh came to a close with this great achievement of women. Field Hockey Bangladesh hosted the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy for the first time in December. Bangladesh national men's hockey team was given the chance to play in the Champions Trophy for the first time as the host country. Malaysia was one of six teams invited to play, however, they were unable to compete due to coronavirus restrictions. Bangladesh was eliminated from the competition after losing all four matches in the group stage. South Korea won the championship for the first time after beating Japan 4-2 in a penalty shootout. Read Traditional folk sports of rural Bangladesh: A look back Archery During the 2021 Archery World Cup, Ruman Shana and Diya Siddique took silver in the recurve mixed team event. In the final, Bangladesh finished second behind the Netherlands. Despite losing 5–1 in the final, it was Bangladesh's best result in an Archery World Championship. It was also the first time Bangladesh has reached the final of a World Cup event in Archery. Weightlifting Maksuda Akhter, the first Bangladeshi woman to compete in an international bodybuilding competition, participated in the IHFF Olympia Amateur Bodybuilding Championship in Mumbai. Out of 30 bodybuilders, Maksuda placed third. She advanced to the top eight in the preliminary round and was chosen third runner-up in the final by the judges. Her victory was a watershed moment for her, and women in Bangladesh may take a lot of encouragement from it. Read Memorable International Cricket Moments in 2021 Shooting In total, 73 shooters from nine nations competed in the Bangabandhu tournament organized by the Bangladesh Shooting Sport Federation: India, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Singapore, and Bangladesh. Munna shone brightest among Bangladeshi shooters, claiming gold with a score of 626.8. While Syeda Atkia Hossain took silver with a score of 623.3 in the women's 10m air rifle event. Another Bangladeshi shooter, Shakil Ahmed won bronze in the air pistol event. Bangladesh at the 2020 Summer Olympics Six Bangladesh athletes competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics, representing four sports: archery, athletics, shooting, and swimming. In the mixed event of Archery, Ruman Shana and Diya Siddiqui were close to winning a medal in the event but were defeated by South Korea in the Round of 16. In Athletics, sprinter Mohammad Jahir Rayhan failed to move to the next round. He was knocked out from the heat. Swimmers Mohammed Ariful Islam and Junayna Ahmed did not progress from their heats, while shooter Abdullah Hel Baki came in 41st place in the Men's 10-meter air rifle event. Overall, Bangladesh's participation in the 2020 Summer Olympics was a disappointment. Read Achievements of Bangladesh in sports in 50 years since independence Car Racing Until recently, no one from Bangladesh had ever gained a reputation for himself on the world racing stage. Motorsport lover Avik Anwar, became the first Bangladeshi to finish third in the UAE Pro Car Championship in February 2021. Later in November, Avik Anwar won the NGK Pro Car Championship with the Toyota GT86 Model Car at the Yas Marina Formula 1 track in the UAE, beating off Helal Almazrouei and Fahad Alzaabi. It was a significant milestone for him, and his efforts will undoubtedly inspire Bangladesh's motorsport enthusiasts. Aftermath When looking at the most memorable achievements of the sports in Bangladesh in 2021, it is clear that women have accounted for the majority of the successes. Therefore, more government support is required for women to succeed in the field of sports. Read Top 10 Most Memorable Football Moments of 2021 Furthermore, each designated sports board must devote special emphasis to improving facilities for female athletes. Meanwhile, the men's cricket team of Bangladesh had a very poor showing in 2021. Some of the great triumphs of the Men's team have also sparked controversy. On the other hand, the women's cricket team had a successful year. Similarly, Bangladesh's major football success came through its age-based women's team. Bangladesh has had an eventful year in the field of sports overall.

The general public's taste in sports has shifted throughout time. People nowadays are more interested in global sports such as football, cricket, and others. These popular sports appeal to a wide range of individuals, not just city dwellers. Satellites have now reached even the most isolated villages, sparking interest in global sports among the rural populace. Therefore, some of Bengal's traditional sports are becoming obsolete. Though, locals have continued to organize traditional sports in some locations. Let's have a look at some of Bangladesh's traditional folk sports. Bangladesh's most popular folk sports Bengals have a long history in rural sports. What were once major sporting events in Bengali culture are now largely forgotten. However, many games have survived through the ages. Let's have a peek at some of Bengal's traditional sports. Jobbarer Boli Khela Boli refers to a wrestler, whereas Khela refers to a game. Boli Khela, then, refers to a powerful person's game. It is a traditional type of wrestling in Bangladesh that is especially popular in the Chattogram area and is considered the district's national sport. Read Achievements of Bangladesh in sports in 50 years since independence Clinch fights, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins, and other grappling grips are all used in this sort of combat sport. The sports event takes place in Bengali year's first month. It is known as Jabbarer Boli Khela at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram. Horse Racing Bengal used to be a hotspot for horse racing in this region. Though there was no active participation of the public; instead, they were just spectators. However, it subsequently became a public game. Horse races were held in the open field towards the end of the paddy harvest. Horse races and rural fairs used to be the occasion for public gatherings. Presently, annual horse races are held in the Chalanbil region, which includes Pabna, Natore, Sirajganj, Bogra, and Naogaon. Read Memorable International Cricket Moments in 2021

On the 16th of December 1971, Bangladesh became an independent country. Glorious independence was achieved after a 9-month bloodbath with Pakistan and is celebrating its 50 years of victory in 2021. Apart from establishing East Pakistan as an independent state, Bangladesh has a significant challenge in making it an economically and socially reliant country. To this aim, Bangladesh has made significant progress in a variety of fields over the past five decades, and sports is no exception. Let's take a look at Bangladesh's significant sporting successes in 50 years of victory. 50 years of victory: What has Bangladesh achieved in the field of sports?   Ha-du-du, popularly known as Kabaddi is Bangladesh's national sport. There has been some significant international success in Kabaddi. Cricket has overtaken football as the most popular sport in the country in the last two decades, despite football being the most popular for the first three decades following independence. Cricket has become the national thing in Bangladesh as a result of its international success. In team sports, field hockey also has had some success. Besides, Bangladeshi athletes have achieved international success in individual sports. Here are some of Bangladesh's noteworthy international sporting accomplishments. Read Top 10 Most Memorable Football Moments of 2021 Kabaddi Only a handful of nations play Kabaddi outside South Asia because it's most popular in the Indian sub-continent. Therefore, Bangladesh does not face significant international competition. Yet, the Bangladesh Kabaddi team has never won a gold medal in a major tournament. They had to settle for silver and bronze medals the majority of the time. Bangladesh's greatest achievements in Kabaddi were in the World Cups in 2004 and 2007. They came in third place in both tournaments. Apart from that, Bangladesh won silver at the Asian Games in 1990, 1994, and 2002. Football Football is now Bangladesh's second-most popular sport, after only cricket. The majority of Bangladesh's men's football success in the last five decades came in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the Bangladesh Women's Football team has made significant improvements in recent years. Here are some notable achievements in both men's and women's football in Bangladesh. Read Champions League 2021-2022: PSG to face Real Madrid, Man Utd to face Atletico in the Round of 16 Men’s Football  The greatest success of Bangladesh's men's national football team was winning the SAFF Championship in 2003. The national team also won a gold medal in the 2010 South Asian Games. Besides, Bangladesh also won the President's Gold Cup in 1989 and the four nations Tiger Trophy in 1995. Women’s Football In recent years, the Bangladesh Women's national football team has had more success than the Bangladesh Men's national football team. Bangladesh's women's team took silver in the 2016 SAFF Women's Championship and bronze in the 2010 and 2016 South Asian Games. Read Sports Year in Review: A Flashback of the Major Events in 2021 Field Hockey Field hockey was one of Bangladesh's most popular sports In the 1980s and 1990s, but it faded away as a result of poor international performance. Bangladesh's national men's hockey team won bronze medals in the 1995, 2010, and 2016 South Asian Games. Apart from that, one of the greatest achievements for the national team was coming fifth in the 1982 Asia Cup. Cricket After winning the 1997 ICC Trophy in Kuala Lumpur, cricket has eclipsed all other sports in Bangladesh in terms of popularity. After winning the competition, Bangladesh qualified for the 1999 ICC One-Day International World Cup. Since then, Bangladesh has participated in all of the main ICC competitions on a regular basis. On the other side, Bangladesh's women's team recently qualified for the ICC ODI World Cup 2022. Here are some important achievements in Bangladeshi cricket, both men's and women's. Read Expected personal milestones to achieve in the Upcoming NZ vs BAN Test Series 2022 Men’s Cricket Cricket has been Bangladesh's most significant sporting achievement. Bangladesh's cricket team was awarded Test status in 2000, and they have since defeated some of the world's best teams in the format. The two biggest Test victories for Bangladesh's men's national team came against England in 2016 and Australia in 2017. Bangladesh's greatest performance in any ICC event was reaching the semifinals of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. Apart from that, Bangladesh was runner-up in the 2012, 2016, and 2018 Asia Cup. Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh has been regularly named the world's best all-rounder. He is regarded as one of the finest all-rounders in history. Aside from national team success, the Bangladesh U19 team won the 2020 ICC U19 World Cup, widely regarded as the country's greatest sporting feat. Read Top Performers in the BAN vs PAK Test Series 2021 Women’s Cricket The women's national team of Bangladesh stunned the world by winning the Asia Cup 2018 in Malaysia. They defeated a strong Indian side by three wickets in the final. The Women's team rose to prominence after winning the Asia Cup, and they have continued to make improvements since then. They also took home a gold medal at the South Asian Games in 2019. The women's team has won a number of bilateral series against some of the world's best teams. The ICC granted Bangladesh's women's team full Test and ODI status in April 2021. Ball Sports Handball, volleyball, basketball, and rugby are among the other ball sports federations in Bangladesh. However, neither of these sports has had any notable international success. The Bangladesh Men's Volleyball team earned silver in a tournament hosted in Pakistan in 2009 and the Bangladesh Basketball team took bronze in the South Asian Games in 2010. Meanwhile, Rugby is a relatively new sport in Bangladesh. Winning the Bowl final of the 2018 Asia Rugby Sevens Series has been the best achievement for the Bangladesh Rugby team. Read Maksuda Akhter: Bangladesh’s first woman bodybuilder to win international medal Combat Sports Bangladesh has a variety of combat sports. Karate has been the most successful of them all. Bangladesh has won seven gold medals in karate in the South Asian Games thus far. Taekwondo, on the other hand, is the most popular combat sport in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Taekwondo team won two gold medals in the 2009 Open International Taekwondo Championships in Seoul, as well as a few gold medals at the South Asian Games. Golf Golf has gradually become a popular sport in Bangladesh after Siddikur Rahman won the 2010 Brunei Open, becoming the first Bangladeshi golfer to win an Asian Tour tournament. Siddikur also made history by being the first Bangladeshi to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio 2016. He finished 58th in the main event of the 2016 Olympics. Siddikur also won the Hero Indian Open in 2013. Read Ballon d'Or 2021 Winner: Lionel Messi wins the coveted award record seventh time Chess Bangladesh has had some success in chess and produced a number of grandmasters over the years. Niaz Murshed, Ziaur Rahman, Reefat Bin-Sattar, Abdullah Al Rakib, and Enamul Hossain are among them. Niaz Murshed is the first South Asian to be honored as a Grandmaster. Women International Masters from Bangladesh include Rani Hamid and Shamima Akter Liza. Rani Hamid is a three-time winner of the British Women's Chess Championship and the country's first Women International Master. Shooting Archery has been the most successful individual sport for Bangladesh. In the 1990 Commonwealth Games, Ateequr Rahman and Abdus Sattar won Gold in the Men's Air Pistol - Pair event, while Shooter Asif Hossain Khan won Gold in the Men's Air Rifle event in the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Bangladesh has also won four silver medals and two bronze medals in Commonwealth tournaments. Apart from that, Bangladesh won many Gold medals at the South Asian Games.  Read ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2022: Five Bangladeshi Cricketers who could shine in New Zealand Archery In Archery, Ruman Shana won bronze in the 2019 World Archery Championships, making him the first Bangladeshi archer to win a medal in an international tournament. Shana was also a gold medalist at the 2019 Asia Cup, which was held in the Philippines. During the 2021 Archery World Cup, Diya Siddique and Ruman Shana took silver in the recurve mixed team event.  Athletics Bangladesh has produced a number of talented athletes, swimmers, and weightlifters over the years. Bangladesh has consistently won international medals in these events. However, all of the success came in the South Asian Games. The Bangladesh Athletic Federation must take a more strategic plan to be successful at the Asian Games and the Olympics.   Read Diego Maradona: A year without the Argentine Legend Other Sports Tennis, Table Tennis, and Squash all have federations in Bangladesh. Bangladesh's best-ever Tennis achievement was reaching the semi-finals of the David Cup in the Asian/Oceania Zone group in 1989. Bangladesh earned a few medals in Table Tennis at the South Asian Games. Besides, Squash in Bangladesh has shown promise, although the country has yet to reach international success. Way Forward  Culture and sports development are two indicators of a country's economic progress. Bangladesh has achieved success in both of these areas in the recent past. Particularly in sports, there have been some significant achievements, with cricket accounting for the majority of them. In addition to mainstream sports, the most important aspect is that Bangladeshi athletes are also succeeding in non-traditional sports. Read Mahmudullah retires from Test: Remembering the silent killer’s dazzling match-winning centuries Despite certain achievements to commemorate the 50 years of victory, Bangladesh still has a long way to go to reach the level of the top on the international stage. In such circumstances, Bangladesh's government should take the lead in establishing a professional sports infrastructure. Only afterward will it be possible to achieve the desired outcome on a worldwide platform.