Tahura Set to Become Bangladesh’s Second Female FIFA Referee

On 6 September, Bangladesh’s first female FIFA referee Joya Chakma did not participate in the fitness test. In contrast, Saraban Tahura passed the test, bringing her one step closer to becoming a female FIFA referee.

Today (Saturday), the second round of the fitness test was held. Joya Chakma took part but unfortunately failed, while Tahura had already passed. Bangladesh currently has only one quota each for female FIFA referees and female assistant FIFA referees. Alongside Tahura, Salma Akter Moni also passed the fitness test. Consequently, both Tahura and Moni have secured their spots as FIFA referees and assistant referees for 2026.

Had Joya passed today, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) referees committee would have had to choose between Tahura and Joya for the female quota. Since Joya did not pass, the federation did not need to make that decision.

The BFF will now submit the official list of referees and assistant referees selected for 2026 to FIFA. FIFA then reviews and approves the list, after which the referees are awarded their official FIFA badges. Typically, FIFA approves the list submitted by the BFF. The only recent exception was Salma Akter, who could not receive recognition as an assistant female referee because she was under the minimum age requirement of 25 years. Tahura, meeting all criteria and age requirements, now awaits only formal confirmation.

Following Joya Chakma, Saraban Tahura is set to become Bangladesh’s second female FIFA referee.

• Background: Tahura is primarily a Kho-Kho player and has served as the captain of the Bangladesh women’s Kho-Kho team.
• Refereeing Start: She began refereeing in 2021 and has recently become a national referee ahead of the FIFA examination.
• International Exposure: Tahura was nominated by the BFF to officiate in the SAFF U-17 Women’s Tournament in Thimphu, Bhutan, overseeing four matches.
• Upcoming: Later this month, she will attend the AFC Referee Academy course in Malaysia alongside Junayed Sharif.

Despite refereeing being a prestigious profession, referees in Bangladesh do not receive significant remuneration, so they sustain themselves through other careers. Tahura is a teacher at Sunbeams School.

For male referees, 8 candidates passed out of 4 quotas, while 10 assistant referees passed out of 6 quotas. As a result, the referees committee held deliberations to finalise selections. Experienced assistant referees like Nuruzzaman and Monir Dhali have consistently passed FIFA exams for over a decade.

While selecting 6 assistant referees was relatively straightforward, finalising the 4 main referees required meticulous analysis. Though more candidates passed than available quotas, the referees committee has finalised the list but has not yet publicly disclosed the names. The list will be sent to FIFA, who will then inform the federation to prevent requests or disputes.