The forgotten female footballers of Khulna
Wearing shorts and playing football -- these reasons were enough for some locals to attack under-17 female footballers of Super Queen Football Academy at Tentultala village in Khulna in July last year.
Instead of dribbling past opponents and scoring goals, some of them had tossed and turned in hospital beds for days to heal the injuries sustained from the attack.
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The incident caused nationwide outrage, with one of the culprits swiftly detained. The rest were arrested nearly a month later after they threatened to burn the girls with acid for filing a case against them.
A wave of support followed. Voices from across the country rose in their defense, civil society rallied behind them and promises of funding poured in.
But like many issues in Bangladesh, this too became a victim of the news cycle's relentless churn. As new stories grabbed headlines, the plight of the Khulna Super Queen Academy girls faded from public memory.
"Deceived" by the initial support, these girls dreamt of returning to the pitch, one day wearing the red and green of the national team.
However, upon returning to the field, they found themselves abandoned.
The promises turned out to be empty, funding dried up, leaving them with no means to continue training.
Although those who claimed to support the girls forgot them, the ones who opposed their freedom never forgot.
Their ridicule continued. At least four girls were married off by their family to "save face before it's too late".
The others face a harsh reality. Some toil as domestic helpers, others labour in croplands for meagre wages, and one even drives an auto-rickshaw to make ends meet.
Football, their passion, their escape is now a distant memory.
The dreams they nurtured, the life they envisioned, are now just a faint echo, a cruel reminder of what could have been.
The dream we had when we started playing football is no longer possible. How can I play if I can't practice properly? We want a playground and training from our coach.
The activity of the football academy they trained in has completely halted.
Mongoli Bakchi, a stalwart of the academy, spent most days in the hospital bed among the injured. Her head, which she used to score numerous goals with powerful headers, was mercilessly targeted by the attackers.
"Even though club activities had resumed after July, everything stopped since last November," she told The Daily Star recently.
"We were forced to abandon football, but we still want to play and practice on the field," she added.
"Due to financial and social stigma, our football journey ended even before it could properly start. We were promised many things, including a mini stadium and special training, but now no one comes to check on us," she said.
Mongoli, who played in Khulna divisional team from 2018 to 2023, is experiencing a physical and mental breakdown after being off the field for the last seven months.
Her mother, Suchitra Bakchi, said, "I sent my daughter to play football with a dream, but now she spends idle time at home."
"To this day, the naysayers ridicule her. How can I shelter her from constant bullying?" she asked.
Sadia Nasreen, Jyoti, Ritu, Swarna, Puja, Devi, Sima, and Priti of the Super Queen football team were all regular players of the U19 divisional team, but have now left the game and are busy with other activities.
Sadia was assaulted along with Mongoli last year.
"The dream we had when we started playing football is no longer possible," Sadia said. "How can I play if I can't practice properly? We want a playground and training from our coach," she added.
Even though club activities had resumed after July, everything stopped since last November. We were forced to abandon football, but we still want to play and practice on the field.
Sadia is now trying to get admitted to other academies but that too seems quite impossible due to financial constraints.
Puja Roy, another promising player, refused to be locked away at home despite leaving football. She defied social stigma and took up the challenge of driving a battery-powered easy bike to support her family.
But fate seemed determined to crush these girls' spirits. Just last Friday, Puja's easy bike was stolen from Kadamtala intersection in Khulna city.
Her father, Arbindu Roy said, "I don't see any future for my daughter in sports. Seeing no alternative, Puja is now helping our family. But even that source of income has been snatched away."
Asharaful Alam Khan, former upazila chairman, used to fund the football academy. He even helped some of the players after the attack. However, he didn't want any of the players to join other teams, or even play at the divisional level, some of the players said, seeking anonymity.
Additionally, he didn't like the widespread attention the issue received after the attack and was concerned about the negative impact his support for girls' football could have on a portion of his vote bank. So he stopped funding, the sources said.
Asharaful could not be reached for comments despite repeated attempts.
Debashish Mondal, along with local sports organisers, established the Tetultala Super Queen football academy to provide training and opportunities for 30-40 girls who regularly practice football. He told The Daily Star that the club's practice is halted due to financial crises, and without collective support, the club cannot resume operation.
Coach Md Mostakuzzaman said it is painful to keep such promising players off the field. "The club was closed due to organisational weakness and financial crisis. Despite the need to get the girls back to the field, no progress is being made," he added.
Contacted, Advocate Saiful Islam, president of the Khulna District Football Association, said he will take all necessary measures to resume the club's activities soon.
ALL ACCUSED OUT ON BAIL
On July 30 last year, a day after the incident, Sadia Nasrin filed an attempted murder case with Batiaghata Police Station, naming four individuals.
However, the process to seek justice was not entirely smooth.
Sadia alleged discrepancies between her initial account and the police record of the case.
"I had told the police that we were attacked with sharp weapons, but the case record only mentioned physical assault. I applied for a correction. It was corrected only after media reports. Initially, the police did not want to take the case and even tried to file a robbery case against us on behalf of the accused," Sadia recounted.
At that time, the officer-in-charge of Batiaghata Police Station told The Daily Star that the "female players were attacked because they were being unruly".
The Daily Star published a report on this.
While the main accused, Nur Khan, was arrested, his wife Rangi Begum, son Salauddin Khan, and daughter Nupur Khatun were granted interim bail by the court until August 21 last year. Out on bail, they continued intimidating the girls with threats of acid attack.
Fearing for her life, Sadia filed a general diary on August 1.
The three were held for violating conditions of the bail following court order.
However, all four of the accused are now out on bail following a High Court order.
The trial is ongoing.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad's Khulna district legal advisor, Advocate Jahanara Parveen, is currently representing the girls.
She told The Daily Star that charges against the accused have been framed, and the next hearing is scheduled for June 25 this year.
Wishing anonymity, a senior police officer at the district level said, "We provided long-term protection to ensure that the female players were not subjected to any further attack or harassment. Two police vehicles always accompanied them when they went to and from the field. Additionally, we stationed a vehicle at the house where they stayed and practiced at night for several months to ensure their safety."
"Since they are not practicing anymore and are not facing any threats, we are not providing security anymore," he added.
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