Chief Advisor (CA) Muhammad Yunus on Saturday promised to resolve the immediately solvable crises the Bangladesh Women's football team have been facing and requested details after members of the team sought a way out of their financial hardships following a thrilling victory at the SAFF Women's Championship 2024 finals.
Requesting the team to write their aspirations and demands separately and submit them to the CA's Office, he said, "Whatever you want to write, don't hesitate. We will try to meet your demands," reports bdnews24.com.
"If anything can be solved now, we will do it immediately," the CA promised at a reception of the SAFF-winning team at the State Guest House Jamuna.
"I congratulate you for this achievement on behalf of the entire nation. The nation is grateful to you. The people of the country want success, you have blessed us with that," he said.
Beating the hosts 2-1 in Kathmandu on Wednesday, Bangladesh delivered a deja vu to the Nepali Chelis, reminding them of the predatory 3-1 victory to claim the South Asian women's football crown for the first time in 2022.
Upon the Bangladesh team's return to home on Thursday afternoon, they were greeted with flowers at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. They were escorted to the Bangladesh Football Federation offices on an open-top bus.
Sabina Khatun, the captain of the team, thanked the interim administration for Saturday's reception.
"We have reached this level after overcoming many obstacles. It is not just the women's football team, but the women of Bangladesh in general who face many struggles," she said.
Sabina, who started her football career in 2009, commemorated the contributions of her previous generation, while also speaking out about the financial crisis faced by many women players.
"Many of them come from ordinary backgrounds and need to support their families. Our salaries do not allow us to help much as the amount is insufficient," she said.
She also highlighted the struggles of some of her teammates like Maria Manda.
Maria, who comes from Kolsindur village in Mymensingh, known as the 'birthplace' of female footballers in Bangladesh, lost her father when she was a child. Her mother had to struggle to raise her.
Six players in the SAFF-winning team come from a village in Dhobaura Upazila near the border.
Winger Krishna Rani Sarkar highlighted their housing problems in Dhaka. She also requested the CA to arrange a friendly match against Barcelona.
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