Bangladesh Women’s Hockey Begins a Promising New Era

For several days, the Maulana Bhashani Hockey Stadium echoed with the sharp tap of sticks meeting ball, as teenage girls and young women chased their dreams across the turf. The sight was stirring. After cricket and football, women’s hockey in Bangladesh is now beginning to spread its wings, stepping beyond scattered domestic competitions into a broader and more hopeful landscape.

The Brac Bank “Aparajeyo Alo” Women’s Hockey Tournament, contested by teams from 18 districts divided into four regions, concluded this week in Dhaka. In a commanding final, Zone-5—represented by BKSP, the country’s only full-fledged sports institute, defeated Zone-4 (formed by players from Mymensingh) by an emphatic 8–0 margin. BKSP’s Kona Akter stole the spotlight with four goals in the final, underlining the institute’s dominance.

Following regional rounds held outside Dhaka, the four zonal champions advanced to the final phase in the capital, where BKSP joined them directly. The tournament brought together 352 players, many of whom were introduced to hockey sticks and balls for the very first time through this competition. For several participants, it was also their first visit to Dhaka and their first experience playing on a modern artificial turf.

Earlier this year, the Bangladesh Hockey Federation’s Development Cup featured 14 districts. The inclusion of Cox’s Bazar, Narail, Joypurhat and Sylhet in this tournament raised the number to 18, making it the largest domestic women’s hockey event ever held in Bangladesh.

Tournament Highlights at a Glance

BKSP’s supremacy was overwhelming: 65 goals in five matches, averaging 13 goals per game, without conceding a single goal. The reasons are clear. BKSP athletes enjoy regular training, access to turf facilities, structured coaching and proper nutrition—advantages that remain largely unavailable at district level, where women’s hockey is often played on grass fields and organised hastily ahead of tournaments.

Yet beyond the scorelines lies a more encouraging story. Women’s participation is increasing, motivation is growing, and recognition is finally arriving. Awards were distributed generously, reflecting the tournament’s substantial investment.

Ireen Akter, the tournament’s best player and an SSC examinee, had earlier impressed at the 2023 World Cup Five-a-Side qualifiers in Oman. “I used to play football,” she said, “but after a teacher encouraged me to try hockey and I joined BKSP, I fell in love with the game. We are the future of women’s hockey, and we will take it forward.”

Captain Arpita Pal, also the national U-21 captain, emerged as top scorer with 22 goals. While crediting disciplined training and multiple coaches for her success, she expressed concern about the lack of strong opponents. “We need more competitive matches,” she urged, appealing to the federation to expand playing opportunities.

BKSP coaches Jahid Hossain and Mowdudur Rahman believe such tournaments provide a vital platform for building a future national team. Although Bangladesh currently lacks a full senior women’s side, hopes are high that one may be formed ahead of the Asian Hockey Federation Cup next March.

At the closing ceremony, Brac Bank Managing Director and CEO Refat Ullah Khan pledged that the tournament would return on an even larger scale, reinforcing optimism that women’s hockey in Bangladesh is finally on a promising upward trajectory.