Amazing football by Kalsindur girls
Kalsindur is a remote village of Dhobaura upazila in Mymensingh district, near the Indian border.
It is one of the least developed villages of the country, but certain girls of the village have displayed amazing football skills.
The girls have brought honour and pride to the country at home and abroad through their excellent performance.
Ten girls of Kalsindur – Marzia Akhtar, Sanjida Akhtar, Najma Akhtar, Sheuli Azim, Maria Manda, Mahmuda Akhtar, Lopa Akhtar, Shamsunnahar, Taslima and Tahura Aktar - were among the 18-member Bangladesh team which played in the regional championship of AFC under-14 football tournament in Nepal last year.
They drew with India 1-1, and defeated Bhutan by 16-0 goals at the group level. The Bangladesh team set the final match with Nepal, defeating Iran by 2-0 in the semi-finals. But the final match could not be held due to the tragic earthquakes in Nepal.
Another success of the Kalsindur girls is becoming champions in JFA under-14 national championship as Mymensingh district team in 2014.
The girls began to play football only five years ago. Assistant teacher Mafiz Uddin of Kalsindur Government Primary School is the source of their inspiration. He formed a team for primary school girls for the Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Gold Cup Football in 2011.
It was not an easy task. The girls were hesitating to play their first match in front of viewers out of shyness even on their own school ground. However the coach, Mafiz Uddin, convinced them to participate in the match.
When they won the match, all inhibitions disappeared. They defeated their opponents one after another, and became champions in Mymensingh zone, but were defeated by Rangpur zone champion in the next round.
In 2012, Kalsindur Government Primary School again became zonal champion, but then was defeated by Rajshahi zonal champion.
In 2013 they became country best beating Rangamati by 4-1 goals in the final match. The school became Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Gold Cup champion again in 2014 also.
They emerged as the best women football team of the country. They won Plan Bangladesh tournament and interschool summer tournament also.
At the international level, Marzia and Taslima were selected for the Bangladesh team for the AFC under-14 girls’ regional championship tournament (central and south) held in Colombo in 2013. Bangladesh emerged third in the tournament among India, Iran, Tajikistan, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
Sanjida, Sheuli and Kalpana of Kalsindur secured their place in the Bangladesh team for the AFC under-16 qualifying tournament in Dhaka in 2014. Recently, a total of five girl footballers of Kalsindur were called for the SAFF women’s championship tournament.
Teacher-cum-coach Mafiz Uddin said about 60 girls of Kalsindur primary school and high school play football regularly. They play in the under-14, under-16 national teams, and Mymensingh district and age-group teams. Girls from adjacent villages of Gamaritala and South Ranipur also regularly practice here football.
The coach expressed his gratitude to the headmistress Minati Rani Sheel, Mymensingh deputy commissioner and officials and coaches of the district football association for the success of the girls.