Anisur Rahman

Denied as a player, Munna finds success as coach in Malaysia

Mohammad Moynul Islam Munna, a Bangladeshi coach who has carved out a career in Malaysia, hardly had a moment to spare as he shuffled from court to court, giving instructions to his Malaysian students who are taking part in ongoing Yonex-Sunrise Bangladesh International Challenge at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium in Paltan.

2d ago

Ukrainian shuttlers seek ‘peace’, a path home

For Polina, ranked 69th in the world, the emotional toll of the war remains immense.

3d ago

Poor planning stalls Bangladesh’s badminton prospects

As the Yonex-Sunrise Bangladesh International Challenge (YBIC) 2024 begins today, participants from 13 nations converge at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium in Dhaka. However, the country’s shuttlers are surprisingly entering the ranking tournament without optimum preparation.

5d ago

BCL Relegation reversal: BFF continues bad precedence

Farashganj SC and Uttara FC, teams that were relegated from the country’s second tier football competition the Bangladesh Championship League (BCL) last season, have been greenlit to compete in the upcoming season as well by the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) – a development that highlights the absence of a proper structure at that level.

6d ago

From uncertainty to triumph: Bangladesh hockey reaches elusive shores

Samin also urged the authorities to arrange an open-top bus to celebrate their “truly memorable” achievement upon their arrival on Friday.

2w ago

Don’t see improvement under Cabrera, says Alfaz

With a month and a half left to Javier Cabrera’s extended contract, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is yet to take any decision whether to extend with the Spaniard or look for a replacement.

1m ago

Wrestler Dipu’s decade-long reign continues

Mohammad Dipu has been a standout in the country’s wrestling, holding his ground not only in local village wrestling since a young age but also on the artificial mats at national championships for over a decade.

1m ago

District swimmers treading in shallow waters

The Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Army dominated the recent national swimming championships, securing all 42 gold medals and leaving district and club teams, apart from BKSP and the Bangladesh Air Force, without any podium finishes.

1m ago
January 27, 2024
January 27, 2024

‘Local coaches shun the overseas-trained players’

Abdur Razzak, a local coach who holds an AFC A level certification, was involved with the selection process in all three talent hunt programmes and accompanied the four promising players in Brazil as coach. The 55-year-old, who has been in the coaching profession for 23 years, spoke with The Daily Star’s Anisur Rahman about what happens in such overseas training programmes and why have the budding footballers not been able to make it big after returning home.

January 27, 2024
January 27, 2024

Talent sought, found and forgotten

In July of 2020, at a time when Bangladesh like the rest of the world was battling the coronavirus, an image of a young man wielding a broom started making rounds in the country’s social media.

January 15, 2024
January 15, 2024

Can Papon walk the talk?

The newly appointed Minister of Youth and Sports Nazmul Hassan Papon made many great promises on the first day at his new office yesterday, promises the country's sports fraternity has heard before from his predecessors with very little implementation.

December 30, 2023
December 30, 2023

Sporadic successes in a year of gloom

The disappointments in other sports could’ve been swept under the rug had the men’s cricket team performed up to expectations.

December 26, 2023
December 26, 2023

A mixed bag for women's football in 2023

The year 2023 was expected to witness Bangladesh women's football progress in an upward trajectory on the back of winning the SAFF Women's Championship in September last year. It was not meant to be, unfortunately.

December 20, 2023
December 20, 2023

Paving a prosperous path

A face-off between two Dhaka-based football academies may have promised the prospect of an eye-pleasing game, but yesterday’s opening fixture BFF (U-15) Academy Championship scarcely lived up to expectations at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium.

December 9, 2023
December 9, 2023

‘Aspiring coaches must recognise the profession’s difficulty’

AKM Maruful Haque has been involved in coaching since the second edition of the professional football league in the 2008-9 season, but the country's lone UEFA A licence coach, along with other successful coaches such as Shafiqul Islam Manik, Saiful Bari Titu, and Julfikar Mahmud Mintu, have not been involved with top-fight football for the first time in the professional era due to the influx of foreign coaches. The 54-year-old successful coach, who has 11 titles and six runners-up trophies to his name, spoke to Anisur Rahman of The Daily Star about various aspects of the country's coaches and coaching. The excerpts of the conversation are as follows:

December 9, 2023
December 9, 2023

Local elite coaches in uncharted territory 

Foreign coach hiring is common in global sports such as football, particularly among national teams. Bangladesh is no different in this regard, although this practice has extended in full force in the country’s top-flight domestic circuit of late -- leading to the marginalisation of similarly qualified local coaches.

December 2, 2023
December 2, 2023

Do not allow the soldiers to kill my doll! : SIX

Dad, do you know how to build a rocket? Seems, you do not. You know nothing. You are good for nothing.

July 31, 2023
July 31, 2023

History-maker Ramhim aware of the challenge

Ramhim Lian Bawm fell in love with table tennis in his childhood, after watching a game on television. That love dragged him towards the game some eight years back, eventually seeing him becoming the first indigenous player to lift the crown in men’s singles event of the National Table Tennis Championships on Saturday.