Star footballer Ritu Porna Chakma has dazzled the City Group–Prothom Alo Sports Awards 2024, claiming Player of the Year titles by both judges’ choice and readers’ choice.
The event took place in a city hotel last evening, honouring stars from sports arena in the country.
Alongside Ritu Porna, lifetime award was conferred to Mosharraf Hossain Shamim, chess player Monon Reza became emerging player of the year, Tohura Khatun got best female sports personality of the year. Cricket stars Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed became runner up in player of the year category.
As Ritu Porna was declared player of the year, the hall erupted in applause. Moments later, she was back on stage, this time winning the Readers’ Choice Player of the Year title. Two victories in a single evening made Rituparna the undisputed star of the ceremony.
The girl from Rangamati had flown to Dhaka from Bhutan on special leave for the event.
With both awards in hand and a shy yet vibrant smile on her face, she said in her immediate reaction, “I’m very happy. Congratulations to everyone. My thanks go to the organisers, my family, football fans, and the Bangladesh Football Federation.”
In a quiet moment, she shared her far-reaching dream: “We’ve been SAFF champions twice, now we’ll play on the Asian stage, and we’ll try to take Bangladesh to the world stage as well.”
“This award will motivate and inspire me to play even better. I’ll try to push myself further and score more beautiful goals,” she added.
Ritu Porna’s remarkable performances on the football field in 2024 will be remembered for years to come. In the SAFF final in Kathmandu, her winning left-footed goal against hosts Nepal opened a new chapter in Bangladesh women’s football history. The perfectly taken shot from the left sailed over the Nepal goalkeeper’s head and into the net. Nearly 20,000 spectators fell silent in an instant. Her gesture of pressing a finger to her lips after the goal became an iconic moment that stirred the entire nation.
Star pacer Taskin Ahmed was also exuberant receiving Runner up of the year alongside Miraz.
Taskin’s award came as a result of his superb performance throughout 2024. He claimed a total of 63 wickets in the year, trailing only Jasprit Bumrah (86 wickets) and Wanindu Hasaranga (64 wickets).
Yet, Taskin said he thinks his best is yet to come.
Receiving the award for the first time will inspire him to do better in future, Taskin added.
Mosharraf Hossain Shamim, a veteran runner from Chattogram, was the country’s fastest man for seven years at a stretch from 1975.
A freedom fighter, Shamim said, “Everything is perfect in this programme. It’s truly jubilant. This is like yet another bright afternoon in my life.”
A reunion for sports fraternity
About an hour before the event began, former and current athletes, coaches, and organisers started arriving at the Oasis Hall of the Sonargaon Hotel. Reunited faces from the world of sports greeted each other, shared stories, and reminisced about old memories. On the red carpet, many spoke of their feelings about this grand get-together. By 4:30pm on Saturday, the Oasis Hall had transformed into a festive reunion for the sporting community.
Since 2005, Prothom Alo has been organising this event—not only to honour the best in sports but also to provide a rare reunion opportunity for athletes. It’s something everyone looks forward to each year.
Former national hockey team captain Russell Mahmud Jimmy summed it up well: “Even after the program ends, everyone is chatting and catching up. Maybe we’ll meet again in another event next year—or maybe not. Like here, I ran into my old coach. This event lets us meet everyone. It feels great.”
Alongside football and cricket, athletes from many other sports, both past and present, spent the afternoon in joy and laughter. Eminent sports journalist Muhammad Kamruzzaman was there from start to finish. Also present were former national cricket captains Habibul Bashar and Khaled Mashud, former BCB president Faruq Ahmed, commentator Athar Ali, and Bangladesh Football Federation executive members Said Hasan (Kanon), Sakhawat Hossain, Tipu Sultan, Imtiaz Hamid, and Kamrul Hasan.
This is a special day for our athletes. We all come together and enjoy the moment. It feels wonderfulRani Hamid
General secretaries from federations of kabaddi, tennis, table tennis, volleyball, squash, hockey, archery, swimming, boxing, badminton, and shooting spent time together. They included SA Newaz Sohag, Ishtiaq Ahmed Karen, Maksud Ahmed Sonet, Bimal Ghosh, Kamrul Islam, Lt Col (retd) Riazul Hasan, Tanvir Ahmed, Mahbubur Rahman, MA Quddus Khan, Russell Kabir, and Aleya Ferdous.
The event was brightened by the presence of former footballers Protap Shankar Hazra, Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu, Mohammad Mohsin, Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, Rummon Bin Wali Sabbir, Kaiser Hamid, Shafiqul Islam Manik, Zahid Hasan Emily, Rokonuzzaman Kanchan, Biplob Bhattacharjee, Mamunul Islam, and many more. Also there were female athletes and organisers such as Jobaida Rahman Linu, Monira Morshed Helen, Kamrun Nahar Dana, Khuki Zaman, Lajul Nahar Kasturi, and Rehana Parveen. Former shooters and coaches Asif Hossain Khan, Sabrina Sultana, Saiful Alam Riking, weightlifter and coach Bidyut Kumar Roy, SA Games gold medalist weightlifter Mabia Akhter, shooters Sharmin Akter Ratna and Sharmin Akter, Kamrun Nahar, squash player Marzan Akter, kabaddi coach Abdul Jalil, and Shahnaz Parvin Maleka were also present.
National team coach Shirin Sultana arrived with her players. Sports organisers Fazlur Rahman Babul, Ashiqur Rahman Miku, Asaduzzaman Kohinur, Kazi Rajib Uddin Ahmed, Rezaur Rahman, and former boxer Abdul Halim joined as well. Also present were Weightlifting Federation president Mohiuddin Ahmed, Table Tennis Federation vice-president Khondkar Hasan Munir, former hockey stars Kamrul Islam Kismat and Rafiqul Islam Kamal, and former national badminton stars Enayet Ullah Khan and Elina Sultana.
Legendary figures like Rani Hamid, the country’s first female International Master in chess, also attended. She said, “This is a special day for our athletes. We all come together and enjoy the moment. It feels wonderful.”
Former weightlifter Molla Sabira expressed a different kind of excitement: “I can’t express in words how much I enjoy this event. Honestly, without this, we don’t get to meet each other at all. That’s why I come.”